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@colinwalker "the much slower pace at which I can get my thoughts down" - my personal experience is that the "quality of my thoughts" are better when I'm forced to slow down.

@jemostrom I often forget the nuance of what I was going to say so capturing it as it manifests is crucial.

I know the struggle you're talking about, Colin. I have Simplenote installed on my phone, and I find it really easy, and even enjoyable, to type ideas into that. It's one of my favourite apps.

But, as you probably picked up from my recent poem, I'm pretty concerned about the place of phones in our lives. I think they're a far bigger intrusion than most people will admit. So, over the last few weeks, I've been trying to reduce my use and incorporate traditional writing tools into my creative process. What that's meant is, putting the phone in my backpack (so it's not in my pocket and easy to grab) and putting a notebook and pencil in my pocket.

It's been a bit of a battle to leave my phone tucked away, but after a few weeks, it's become easier, and I can honestly say I'm starting to enjoy writing in the notebook--particularly with a pencil. (I bought a few Palomino Blackwings, and a friend of mine sent me a selection of nicer pencils, and they make quite a difference.)

Like you, my handwriting is pretty bad, although, interestingly, it's better with a pencil than with a pen. Perhaps because of the extra bit of friction. And I know what you mean about small notebooks being a bit frustrating to write in, although I'd argue that a phone screen is even smaller, and, for me, even clumsier. I've got big thumbs and I regularly hit wrong letters!

Like you alluded to in one of your other posts, I like the separation of drafting and editing. It really frees me up to try things. And it breaks my habit of always being on my phone.

I do think it takes time though to break the habit of whipping out a phone, and to see the benefit of creating the awkward, slow way. I guess we each have to experiment and weigh up the pros and cons of different tools and approaches.

(Sorry for the wall of text. It's just something I've been think about a lot lately.)

@colinwalker When I use electronic devices I tend to jump from idea to idea without really thinking them through. Using pen and paper I manage to really think about the question and if I get another idea I just make a one-two word note and come back to it later. But we are all different so ...

Appreciate your thoughts Chris, and don’t apologise for the walk of text.

I’m an impatient writer, always looking to get my thoughts out before I lose interest in them. I’ve chastised myself many times for it, make a bid for redemption but fall back way too easily.

I’ll get there eventually.

@colinwalker @jemostrom I heard that a) “thinking“ is best done by hand, while b) “bringing it down” should be done by typing. As a more analog person I agree on a), for b) I often use (please, don’t laugh) a mechanical typewriter - allows a good flow for me.

@colinwalker Thought #1: Replace the small notebook with a larger one and see what happens. Nothing fancy. A cheap drugstore one will do. Thought #2: Maybe you're not a paper guy. It's OK. Be you.

@colinwalker I recently switched from a small Moleskine notebook to a Leuchtturm 1917 Master Slim. It’s A4+... massively oversized. Took me a while to get used to the bigger size, but now I love it.

@kulturnation I really like using pen/paper and especially doing sketch notes ... but unfortunately I rarely have the time to actually use them. Since most of the time I need to publish my material electronically and it takes too long to do it twice ?

@jemostrom I first think about a topic, then I write it down. Writing down is much faster then. With a computer I tend to do to much fine tuning before the piece is done. But it depends on your job, of course.

@jemostrom (There is Feridun Zaimoglu, a German author who “prepares” all his novels in notebooks, and when he feels ready he types it down with his electric typewriter right out of his head)

@kulturnation Yeah, I've tried doing it the "paper outlining/planning" way first and then converting it to electronic form for the lectures/course. I can't do it, I end up with 1-4 very nice lectures in the beginning and then panic. But it's a character flaw of mine :D

For me the difference was the system. Bullet Journal changed everything for me. It wasn't left up to chance. It doesn't matter how nice the notebook or pen, if you don't have a system and routine everything else falls about.

Take a look at using one of your notebooks to convert to a Bullet Journal and try to stick with it during an entire calendar month. You'll be hooked like the rest of us.

@kulturnation Same here. Also, when using the computer I often end up doing everything but work on the project at hand. Paper helps me think clearly and, more importantly, focus.

@jemostrom Or it is just a well established workflow :) #whateverworks

@kulturnation your explanation sounds better ?

@patrickrhone @sketchbookb I’ve asked for something bigger for Christmas. Until then I’ll see if I can last more than a week with a pen. I feel like I should be a paper guy, I used to be.

"With a computer I tend to do to much fine tuning before the piece is done."

I'm the same.

@kulturnation Nothing wrong with mechanical typewriters, there’s a certain je ne c'est quoi to them, a real old school satisfying feeling.

That you've written three posts about it suggests you want to be. :)

@jemostrom This is always my issue - the time and duplication of transcribing or converting from paper to type. While I can see the appeal it usually frustrates me as it feels like doubling the work.

Perhaps it’s worth it in the long run.

Trust Patrick to bring some common sense. ;)

Thanks, I’ll look into that. Are there any good resources you can point me to?

@colinwalker Had to laugh when I read your „there’s a certain je ne c'est quoi to them“ - read „a certain je ne sais quoi“ this morning in George Saunder‘s short story „Victory Lap“ (in: „Tenth of December“) - is this French commonly used?

@kulturnation Yes, it’s used quite a lot in English - the French just sounds so much more mysterious ?

@colinwalker I believe it's completely worth it. For me it's quality over speed. Also, as the Field Notes guys say: "I'm not writing it down to remember it later, I'm writing it down to remember it now."

I've got a Moleskine pocket notebook at the moment (got it for half the usual price on the Book Depository), but when I've filled that I'm going to try Field Notes. They look a lot better (thickness-wise) for actually carrying round in your pocket.

There is an incredible and admirable amount of passion about the written word, as opposed to the typed word. Thanks for all the comments folks.