Why I Love Writing by Hand (And Hate Computers)

I want to stop using my computer whenever I can. So, I'm starting by writing my book with a pencil and paper. In this video, I explain why I'm doing this. I also discuss the greatest living writer, Wendell Berry, and a fantastic poet, Rainer Maria Rilke.

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[sethhart]

I’m left-handed so when I write with a pencil, I’ll end the session with the side of my hand that I drag across the page painted graphite silver. Not only that, my fingers are sore from gripping the pencil. I think this is all a good thing: it puts lie to the idea that the world is divided between those that do manual labor and those who work with the mind. It divorce of thinking from doing is false in a lot of ways (Matthew Crawford’s book “Shop Class as Soulcraft” is a good exploration), but being tired and messy after a session of writing with pencil on paper, that feeling of having put in a good day’s work, is a wonderful reminder. It’s also a reminder that thinking clearly is itself a muscle that must be trained.

[thebiblicalanimalfarm]

I love writing. I started journaling approximately 44 years ago. All of my diaries/journals are still with pen and paper.

[ttues]

"We can't just let technology be a default". Very wise and true words.

[ashrafulalamkhan]

There is another perspective why I use pen & paper for my essays:

After completing my essay on the notebook, when I type it on my laptop, I discover new paradigms or improvement opportunities. This doesn't happen when we instantly type and edit on laptop. Good writing is a journey that requires dedication and efforts.

Thanks for this great video jared. I didn't know about the books you mentioned. Grateful.

[marikadonders]

I always write by hand, using a fountain pen. But then rather than typing it in, I use speech-to-text. It helps my editing process hearing how to text sounds read aloud.

[Lizard]

I was convinced as soon as you started that "ease of editing" point. So much putting the cart before the horse when I instantly type out a thought and default to editing what I just wrote rather than thinking about what happens next.

[justinw]

It's funny because just yesterday I did something quite similar, mind you I am not writing a book. For fun, I have been trying, for a long while to write a D&D campaign to play with friends. I consider myself someone half decent at improv and okay at coming up with ideas/characters on the spot, but I found every time I tried to sit down at the computer and type, my mind would be empty. But yesterday (while working mind you haha), I randomly grabbed a little notebook and a pencil and tried writing ideas/themes for a story and it just flowed out of me. I wrote down more in 20mins than I have for the past year or so. As you said, Jared, it might sound "romantic" and to me kind of hipster-ish lol, but there is something to it and I dig it! It has helped me be more creative for sure! Great timing on the video, keep up the great work man! 🙂

[anitas]

Another aspect is that writing by hand engages your brain in a completely different way than using a laptop. You are accessing different creative processes.

[Wolverine]

Jared- while working on my MFA degree in Creative Writing, I got into the habit of ditching the laptop, and using a fountain pen and lots of loose leaf paper, ocassionally on a notebook. It worked out very well for me, and nowadays, I exclusively work with fountain penon paper. Thanks

[bujobyfilo]

I love browsing the comments section as much as I love watching your videos 😄
I'm a language teacher (not english haha) and I always tell my students to write by hand. Otherwise they don't recall anything. I wish I had time to find the studies I saw that showed that your brain make connections when your write by hand that it doesn't when you use a computer.
I want to do a video about that at some point.

[Frayst]

You are very right in my opinion and I will demonstrate my experience. I often have blackouts at home because of the war. At first it caused exclusively negative emotions, but later I even began to expect blackouts to enjoy this moment of peace and quiet, when you can pick up a pen and write something down, when you can read a book without headphones. Ideas come at such moments. I noticed that I began to think much more, build some coherent things in my head at this time, and not when I sit before writing an article (I am a PhD student). The only thing that worried me was that writing by hand is long and inefficient. But I look at your content and you legitimize for me some things that I also came to, but rejected

[pato]

I’ve just started to relearn handwriting so I can at least read it myself and perhaps to re order my mind. I’d ask you for your address so I could write you a comment in cursive with a fountain pen, but in this digital age, even supplying that has its perils. Perhaps later, when my hand writing improves. For now I’ve subscribed to your channel and bought and bought Berry’s book. I’m 74 and have watched the transformation of the world by technology and it’s not entirely a better place. We can’t undo it nor do we need to. As you say, we just need to decide the mix of the old and the new.

[lavvrenceD]

'Cut distraction off at the source' - such a powerful and liberating act! I actually stumbled on this channel while building my analog zettelkasten and have never looked back! Thanks for the video

[bxnny]

I’ve made the exact same change; I even write my rough code in a sketchbook before I go anywhere near my laptop to program it. Writing by hand really helps me think/focus and get into a “flow” state.

[KristieBittleston]

Nothing beats a nice Blackwing on some smooth paper to light up the inspiration!!! 🥰📜🖋️

[bluebiegrace]

I’m new in journaling. I wish I started a long time ago. I love it. My vocabulary is expanding and my writing is attaining depth. Writing quiets down my soul.

[malcolmmacgregor]

I have recently written (and photographed) for a book about the Namib desert. Solitude was a key theme. The way I did it was exactly as you suggest. I wrote the text in longhand in an A4 notebook, well away from studio and internet. And then typed it up on the computer. All the ideas were there, such as solitude, but could be refined on the computer - and improved on. The fact of writing with a pen and ink took me back and although I struggled with formulating my ideas, I loved the act of writing, which gave me a sense of achievement. I also wrote on one side of the notebook, using the other side to quickly write down ideas that came into my mind. Love your recommendations about Wendell Berry and Like. Very many thanks for confirming that I have been on the right track.

[scroggins]

Berry also famously had his wife to type up and edit his work after he hand-wrote it. He called her "his word processor" and there was much debate at the time about labor and technology. There are practical benefits to handwriting, but we also shouldn't over-romanticize handwritten text as inherently less work, more ethical, or more authentic.

[thefilipinojoe]

This would certainly solve a lot of problems. I’m going to go with pen vs pencil as I am a big believer in no editing while writing. I can type super fast so no problem typing everything up once I am done. Thank you 🙏

[lauriesopas]

This really resonates with me. Your points reflect the reasons I love writing on an old portable typewriter. I am slower, more deliberate, completely disinterested in editing as I go.

I think I am going to experiment with going back to longhand. Thanks for the inspiration! Also, I see you share my love of Palomino Blackwing pencils!