Computer vs. Paper (WFMAD Day 5)

I love writing. You know this; I know this. But the problem with writing is that there are about a zillion different ways to do it; paper and pen, laptops, desktops, iPads, cellular phones, etc etc. Everyone has their preferences.

Except for me, that is.

I don't really have a preferred way to write, persay. I just write in whatever way I can. There's definitely nothing wrong with this, because it gives me the opportunity to write wherever I am (and makes it harder for me to come up with excuses to not). The problem with this, though, is that because I use so many different things to record my thoughts / writing--my phone, my journal, my computer--I tend to, uh....misplace some of my writing. So sometimes, I do wish I could stick to just one platform.

Despite my lack of loyalty to writing mediums, different tools definitely have different things going for them. I'll stick with the two basic ones for now: good, old-fashioned paper and pen, and my trust passion purple Dell laptop.

Paper:

• You can take it anywhere. No need for batteries or electrical outlets, and you don't have anything to turn off when you're sitting in an airplane about to depart! It's total freedom in the bottom of your bag!
• Fresh paper is pretty. Am I the only one who loves the sight / feeling of a fresh, unmarked piece of paper? No? Yes?
• No boot-up time.You don't have to wait five minutes for it to turn on, potentially losing track of the thought you wanted to write down. It also gives you more time to write!
• You can write during class and nobody notices. I mean, uh, you can write before and after class with ease! Yeah, that's what I meant...

Computer:

• Typing is faster than writing by hand. At least for me, it is. I type probably twice as fast than I write.
• You can create multiple copies. As long as you properly back up your files (I use Dropbox, myself), you don't have to worry about spilling coffee or juice or chocolate milk or anything on your WIP and losing everything. It's perfectly safe! (Your computer, however, probably is not. So please be careful.)
• No hand cramps. The unfortunate setback of writing cursively. Your hand starts to hurt like heck after a while.
• No misplaced projects. Face it. It's a lot harder to lose computer files than stray pieces of paper. (If you have them properly backed up, anyway.)

Maybe someday I'll actually make up my mind and pick one to stick with.

Probably not.

Until later,

- Justyne