Writers: What Do You Use?

[Cryptos]

Hmmm, I guess my last post did come across as a criticism. Sorry 'bout that.

[Poetman]

I used to use paper mate flair pens and yellow legal pads for a long time, but I found myself needing to insert loose pages into the pad for notes and revisions and then securing them with a binder clip. This became sloppy and frustrating. I've always journaled on blank, unlined pages, and began increasingly missing the blank space when I returned to legal pads. For the last few years, I've been using blank, unlined copy paper--though, now I'm looking for a nicer quality paper with a slight color but have been disappointed with what I've tried thus far. The blank, unlined page is perfect!

 

 

Per your "brain-hand interface" interest: a lot of recent neuroscience has found that writing by hand increases creativity, intelligence, memory, and left/right brain cooperation, amongst other things! It really is all in your head.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Hmmm, I guess my last post did come across as a criticism. Sorry 'bout that.

 

 

Didn't seem like it to me...I just love yapping about 'office supplies.'

[FountainPages]

I've found not much better nor cheaper in Apica CD15's. I love the paper.

[Djehuty]

I'm going to offer an opinion here, and I hope I won't get my head bitten off too quickly.

 

Sometimes, when listening to people talk about writing - as in novels, short stories and so on - I get the uneasy feeling that the method has assumed a greater importance than the act of writing itself. That people discuss the method almost endlessly and spend less time getting ideas down on the page.

 

That's obviously a generalisation, but I know I've done that myself over the years.

 

I've used many excuses not to write. One of the fascinating things about depression is how it warps your creativity -- I can find a million reasons not to do the thing that brings me the most satisfaction. But this time, I'm just trying to find a method that will work, that will feel right, that will not provide fodder for that part of my brain which tries to sabotage me. I'm trying to pull myself out of hibernation. I need good paper for that.

[ailevin]

<snip>

Per your "brain-hand interface" interest: a lot of recent neuroscience has found that writing by hand increases creativity, intelligence, memory, and left/right brain cooperation, amongst other things! It really is all in your head.

 

I am more likely to note down highlights, summarize, and synthesize when I use paper and pen at a lecture or while reading. On the computer, I find myself quoting or transcribing more, like the kids at live concerts who watch through their phones.

[WaskiSquirrel]

It depends on what stage I'm in. When I'm writing the actual novel, I like a notebook that is somehow bound. Spiral bound notebooks aren't my favorite, but I've used plenty. Having all the pages in place keeps it organized.

 

With the novel I'm currently typing (I'm on the 3rd draft) I did a few other things that are new. I brainstormed in some notebooks in multicolored inks. Then I wrote myself a sort of "bible" for the book that contains characters, place information, history, technology, terms, maps, and so on. That was put in a looseleaf binder because I kept adding pages all over the place. My outline was written on Maruman paper that folds out from B5 to B4. It was also in the looseleaf binder. It was handy because I had 3 viewpoint characters, so each one got an outline and I could keep track of who was doing what at each time.

[Djehuty]

Hm, thank you, you've just introduced a criterion for choosing paper sources which had slipped my mind: ease of transcription. I don't think I'd do well trying to work from journal pages. Paper that I can clip into my document holder would make more sense, I think.

 

Also, I noticed something yesterday which made me laugh: Rhodia A4 paper is not actually all in A4 size, if you count the usable area. Top-bound pads are size A4 overall, including the binding. Tear off the page, and you get something that's either about 2 mm longer than US letter paper (from the spiral-bound notebooks) or a wee bit shorter (from the stapled pads). All this time I'd been looking at a side-bound notebook and despairing.

[Ghost Plane]

I finally went to the Staples Arc system so I can bind all my scraps of plotting, character notes, beat sheets, time lines and whatever else I need to produce a novel in one place. With the punch you can add whatever paper you want, tho' it's not bad for systems not designed specifically for fountain pens. I'm actually creating more on the computer now I've picked up Scrivener software.

 

Much depends on whether you're a plotter, pantser or puzzler if you're a fiction writer. I have no idea how academics turn out their work, but suspect they tend to be "plotters" based on the need for prior organization of topic and research prior to beginning production.

 

The key is to write. However and wherever works for you.

[Cryptos]

 

I have no idea how academics turn out their work, but suspect they tend to be "plotters" based on the need for prior organization of topic and research prior to beginning production.

 

 

Asking the right initial question leads to choosing a method. The rest follows quite readily. The question is usually informed by the researcher's prior knowledge, experience and current interests. Discussion is always written after the results are known - of course - and most times it seems the introduction is also written either during the experiment or after it has concluded.

 

That at least is how it seems to be done in my school. We are a health science group. It may be different in humanities.

[Djehuty]

I finally went to the Staples Arc system so I can bind all my scraps of plotting, character notes, beat sheets, time lines and whatever else I need to produce a novel in one place. With the punch you can add whatever paper you want, tho' it's not bad for systems not designed specifically for fountain pens. I'm actually creating more on the computer now I've picked up Scrivener software.

 

Much depends on whether you're a plotter, pantser or puzzler if you're a fiction writer. I have no idea how academics turn out their work, but suspect they tend to be "plotters" based on the need for prior organization of topic and research prior to beginning production.

 

The key is to write. However and wherever works for you.

 

"Pantser"?

 

I'm not sure which of those I'd be. I tend to go for an idea first, then characters (or vice versa), then I try to figure out how plot works.

 

For notes and academic stuff, I took advantage of the Circa sale. I tried the Arc notebooks at Staples, and had difficulty turning the pages, due to poorly made discs (possibly just a bad batch) and smallish "smurfs" in the paper. Fortunately a sale appeared, and suddenly the Rhodia paper was about the same price as Staples', and the discs were almost reasonably priced. I'll skip the pre-made notebooks, though. I don't have that kind of ready cash. (Sixty bucks for some faux leather glued to a piece of cardboard, yeesh.)

 

For the drafting, it's down to Rhodia pads (paper to be torn out and Circa-punched, nice for rearranging scenes and whatnot in a notebook) or Apica notebooks (because I'm more likely to do my rearranging in Scrivener than a notebook). I may just flip a coin.

 

As for the putting-off of things, I did manage to get some decent world-building notes down on paper, so that's a start. Had a bit of a hectic day today, but tomorrow a pot of tea and some time with notes and plotting are on the agenda.

 

As always, many thanks for the help!

[Poetman]

Yes, in the humanities we follow a similiar system. Whether I am drafting lectures, essays, presentations, or a book draft, I follow the same system: use the medium to demonstrate how my research answers a question about said material. Certainly, some academic work can be more creative--or experimental--but that's a while other conversation.

 

I used to always use legal pads, which are nice because they remain bound at the top, but I grew tired of their inability to allow for full sheet ammendations in between. Now that I use blank copy paper, I have found heaven. Every paper can easily get filed. I can rearrange as I see fit. Also, the obvious advantage to paper over a computer is that one can see how multiple pages for together. A computer only allows for single page viewing. Now that I haven't written on lined paper for a while, my handwriting is surprisingly much straighter and neater, and lines are more distracting than ever.

[Poetman]

 

 

Asking the right initial question leads to choosing a method. The rest follows quite readily. The question is usually informed by the researcher's prior knowledge, experience and current interests. Discussion is always written after the results are known - of course - and most times it seems the introduction is also written either during the experiment or after it has concluded.

 

That at least is how it seems to be done in my school. We are a health science group. It may be different in humanities.

 

Yes, in the humanities most follow a similiar system. Whether drafting lectures, essays, presentations, or a book draft, I use the medium to demonstrate how my research answers a question about the specific material. Certainly, some academic work can be more creative--or experimental--but that's a whole other conversation.

 

I used to always use legal pads, which are nice because they remain bound at the top, but I grew tired of their inability to allow for full sheet ammendations in between. Now that I use blank copy paper, I am perfectly content. Every paper can easily get filed. I can rearrange sheets as I see fit--and I can also can feel closer to an earlier moment in history when fountain pens and typewriters were abundant.

 

Also, an obvious advantage to paper over a computer is that one can see how multiple pages for together. A computer only allows for single page viewing. Now that I haven't written on lined paper for a while, my handwriting is surprisingly much straighter and neater, and lines are more distracting than ever.

[Mr. Pink]

 

Those of you who do this, what do you use? Loose-leaf paper? Spiral notebooks? Nicely bound journal-style notebooks? Nicely-bound journal-style notebooks which are your actual journals, into which you insert your writing as it comes? Thousands of Post-It notes stuck to everything in sight? An unusually complacent cat? I should probably stop there....

 

 

 

I do write out long hand first. As at least 75% of the paper I write on gets tossed, the cheaper the better. I don't care if it feathers, has sheen, is super smooth, or anything like that. I have a huge supply of 8.5 x 11 continuous feed computer paper that I pull apart as I go. A little Jim Beam helps too - BUT NOT WHILE EDITING.

 

When I do get around to editing, it first goes on Word printed triple spaced on the same cheap paper so I can see what I am re-writing.

Edited March 21, 2015 by Charles Rice

[Djehuty]

I've been changing my mind about this at least three times a day. The pros and cons of Rhodia pads vs. Apica or Tsubame notebooks are about even.

 

I can't use copy paper, or anything else unlined, because I can't control my writing well enough. Can't really afford to print lines on it, either -- on cheap stuff, the added expense defeats the purpose; on better paper, it puts it out of reach. Cheap paper would be a distraction as well, which I can't really afford.

[Mr. Pink]

 

I can't use copy paper, or anything else unlined, because I can't control my writing well enough.

 

I use a guide sheet under.

[Paul Austin]

So far I've been writing narrative nonfiction, and recently (a couple of years ago) - my editor had my book on her desk for ever, and I started a novel, just to keep writing. I've found that a fair amount of my "writing" has been done on my bicycle: imagining the conversations, and the interactions my people are having. Then when I get to the coffee-shop, or McDonalds (wherever) I pull out the laptop, and jam it out. I've tried writing with pen and paper, but my hands are too slow, to keep up.

 

I've recently (a few months ago) started trying to write cursive again, and perhaps will do my first drafts in longhand, once I can write fast enough. A lot of my writing starts as free-writes, and the laptop just does so well with that.

 

I keep a notebook, with character timelines, family-trees, and maps, to keep track of where and when I am. And the wall above my desk is covered with thumbtacked photographs of people who look like my characters, and maps, and pictures of houses that look like my characters. A Sunday-school perfect attendance pen I got from Ebay, because one of my characters never missed church.

 

If an idea comes to me when I'm at the gym on a stationary bike, I send myself an email. Lots of ideas seem to come up when I'm exercising. (That's also when I listen music, and a song will remind me of a character.)

 

If I wake up in the middle of the night, with a thought about the book I get up, scribble out a note on a scrap of paper, stick it in my notebook, and go back to bed.

 

So far fiction has been a lot of fun, after writing memoir. The research is also fun. It's how I got interested in cursive: one of my characters is less educated, and has fat, misshapen handwriting, and another guy produces elegant, Spencerian script. (I had to do some research about handwriting in the early 1900's)

 

Once I found out about the Spencerian handwriting, I fell down the fountain-pen rabbit-hole, and now am engrossed in nibs and ink and paper oh my!!!

[Intellidepth]

I've been changing my mind about this at least three times a day. The pros and cons of Rhodia pads vs. Apica or Tsubame notebooks are about even.

Knowing my own penchant for procrastination, I'd buy one of each and start writing. After one pad or notebook I'd have a good idea of whether it's worked for me.

 

I have a reasonable quality scalpel with replaceable blades so if I needed any journal to be loose-leaf later for computer entry, it'd be quick work to cut it near the spine as deep as required - just put a 1mm thick piece of cardboard in front of the pages that don't need cutting out yet.

[MrThoth]

I have developed the habit of writing my fiction first drafts longhand. Typically I select around ten pens that suit my current mood, or the mood of the story I have in mind, and I write on a Rhodia or Clairefontaine full-sized notebook. Each page I switch to the next pen in the rotation, which sometimes makes the draft rather multi-chromatic. As a bonus, while writing longhand I can use my standing desk, a welcome change from sitting at the screen.

 

Typing the longhand into the computer becomes the first editing pass as I correct errors, change words I've used too often, make sentences better, and so forth. Arguably it's a little extra work, but it's fun in its own way.

[Djehuty]

Yep, that's what I'm hoping for -- that writing longhand will make the process flow better, and be a bit of fun into the bargain. I've ordered a couple of Tsubame notebooks, so I'll see how that goes. I've tried writing on Rhodia, and I've found that a slightly smaller page suits my hand better. I don't have to move my arm quite as much, which is helpful to the flow of writing.

 

I appreciate all the help and advice. Working with my brain can be tricky, which is why I've been willing to spend time figuring out the best (or at least a good) solution before starting. I've got to balance my creativity with the bits that don't work right and the bits that actively fight me. I must say, I'll be happy when someone figures out how to exchange brain components. I could use a few replacement parts.