What Do You Actually Write?

[Ruth Feiertag]

I prepare lectures and write articles in the area of Slavic linguistics. Over the last 45 years or so of doing this, my first step has been to take handwritten notes of as many sources as I need to read. Next, I continue my outline and start a draft in handwriting, which helps me think better. Handwriting is also better for planning tables and diagrams. At some point, I switch to the keyboard, once the main ideas are clear in my mind. In the old days, it was a typewriter, now a computer. My handwriting habit dating from the late 60's has been to use fountain pens, which I often buy on visits to foreign countries (i.e. outside the USA).

 

Slavic linguistics sounds fascinating. There must be so many subtle and not-so-subtle variations to study. Wow.

 

Ruth

[rff000]

There are dozens of sub-specialties, if you include all the standard languages and dialects. Then, you have different linguistic areas, like phonology, morphology, syntax, etc. And different schools of each, which don't agree with each other and often don't even understand each other. Just your standard academic situation. And enough to waste a lot of ink on!

[fireofspring]

At school:

- note-taking

- annotating

- editing thesis drafts

- brainstorming

- some paragraphs that wind up in longer articles/chapters are first jotted down on paper

 

At work:

- meeting notes and minutes

- signatures and forms

- phone messages

 

At home:

- diary

- bullet journal

- letters

- cards

- research and notes for various writing projects (eg. notes on pagan Lithuania and Benedictine monasteries during the 12th century for a story)

Edited August 9, 2015 by fireofspring

[crookedbeam]

My daily entries into my journal, drafts of both my poetry and fiction, notes on anything that I think is worth remembering, and since I'm in the beginning stages of learning the Korean language, a lot of notes and written exercises pertaining to that. I use a paper calendar, so anything that could possibly be written in there, is written with a fountain pen as well.

[glorfindel]

The tooth fairies in our house use exclusively fountain pens filled with all sorts of colorful ink to write notes about what they are going to do with all of the collected teeth. They also seem to be very fond of Rhodia paper.

[darazs]

Notes, sketches, a bit of a journal and letters...

 

I do love writing and receiving letters, the slow and beautiful developping of an espistolary conversation is a pleasure very few enjoy nowadays, but a magnificent one

[Al-Nasser]

Whatever comes to mind..a feeling, a thought, an idea, a memory or even a day dream...if it crosses my mind, I try to write it, that becomes a habit.

 

Writer's block is not exclusive to creative people, it may come to anyone who writes, maybe all you need is a break to ease of the stress!

[Karmachanic]

I write words. 600-1000 a day, most days

[Tom Kellie]

I write words. 600-1000 a day, most days

 

~ Karmachanic:

 

I'm likewise, except that I have no idea how many per day.

Tom K.

[vivdunstan]

Forgot to say that I frequently sell things secondhand on eBay (mainly Doctor Who audios on CD I’ve listened to), and I always include a handwritten thank you letter inside the parcel. Now, of course, written by fountain pen. It seems to be something buyers really like, and quite a number have mentioned it in their feedback. I think it just adds a personal touch. And I can thank them directly for buying my item.

[vivdunstan]

More handwriting text to later type up, this time for Cavers one-name (surname) blog post number 9 of the 10 post Guild of One-Name Studies blogging challenge. I find writing by hand gets more creative ideas out. Also I get to use my favourite fountain pen! Blog post going up late February. I write a lot of creative writing by hand, often pretty disposable, to be typed up after. Not the best handwriting ever 😜 Usually writing in a tear off Rhodia top-stapled block pad. For example I write a lot of parser text adventure game content this way, then later type it up and turn it into computer game code. As well as academic articles and other pieces.

 

[Tom Kellie]

I always include a handwritten thank you letter inside the parcel. Now, of course, written by fountain pen. It seems to be something buyers really like, and quite a number have mentioned it in their feedback. I think it just adds a personal touch. And I can thank them directly for buying my item.

 

~ vivdunstan:

 

I'd be touched if any seller included a handwritten thank you note.

The German fountain pen dealer who regularly ships pens and inks to me does so.

Thank you for telling this.

Tom K.

[MBDostoevsky]

Forgot to say that I frequently sell things secondhand on eBay (mainly Doctor Who audios on CD I’ve listened to), and I always include a handwritten thank you letter inside the parcel. Now, of course, written by fountain pen. It seems to be something buyers really like, and quite a number have mentioned it in their feedback. I think it just adds a personal touch. And I can thank them directly for buying my item.

 

Personal Notes are always a great treat... in fact I have saved all personal notes that I have received with my fountain pens... most of them are nib samples, thank you and best of luck with the pen notes. But as a buyer I am delighted to have them. Keep up the good practice.

[gmathio]

My daily journal, but mostly taking notes while I work and as a journalist, I take a lot !!

[Studio97]

Have been journaling a lot about the progression of covid19. N95s were in my kits before the pandemic.

Turn on the news and write down your thoughts, ideas, criticisms, Hope's, about any of the current events you care about or affects you personally.

[Phormula]

Just my notes, meeting notes and general work related stuff.

This is enough to fill a dozen A4 notebooks every year.

[inkstainedruth]

Catching up on this thread after a few years. The article that ethernautrix posted about journaling was quite interesting. Unfortunately, the link to the Jorge Luis Borges story that Ruth Feiertag posted seems to not work after all this time, so now I'm going to have to figure out what the story title was and see if I can find it elsewhere online until the libraries and bookstores around here re-open....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[langere]

Comments on dissertation chapters of my students

Notes and comments on student papers in general

Outlines for articles and book chapters

Lecture notes

Shopping lists

Writing checks and paying bills

Notes to myself on to-do lists

Doodling

 

Erick

Edited June 4, 2020 by langere

[brokenclay]

Catching up on this thread after a few years. The article that ethernautrix posted about journaling was quite interesting. Unfortunately, the link to the Jorge Luis Borges story that Ruth Feiertag posted seems to not work after all this time, so now I'm going to have to figure out what the story title was and see if I can find it elsewhere online until the libraries and bookstores around here re-open....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

http://hispanlit.qwriting.qc.cuny.edu/files/2011/06/Borges-Pierre-Menard.pdf

[inkstainedruth]

Thanks, brokenclay!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth