For this task, I wrote a diary entry while I was on the plane travelling from Vancouver to Toronto. This trip was planned with my mom to visit my brother and his partner. In the diary entry, I refer to my brother Nicholas using his childhood nickname – Nips. This was an exciting trip for me because it was the first time I saw where they lived, met their cats, Levi and Felix, and explored Toronto together!
Do you normally write by hand or type? Did you find this task difficult or easy? Explain.
Normally when it’s for professional work, it’s done on the computer so I will type. However, when it comes to diary entries or personal writing I would write by hand. I enjoy writing by hand – something about holding a pen and writing on paper makes the experience very therapeutic and soothing. I found this task easy because it was the perfect way to put my thoughts onto paper and document this experience.
What did you do when you made a mistake or wanted to change your writing? How did you edit your work?
When I made a mistake, I crossed it out and continued writing. When I missed a word, I would use ^ to insert the word. I remember when I was in elementary and high school, it would bother me when I made mistakes. I would always use white-out to make changes. Now I appreciate mistakes and I honor them as part of the process and carry on without being bothered. As a teacher, I tell my students that I want to see their mistakes because it shows me their thinking process.
Did your choice of media play a part in how you edited your work?
Absolutely! If I had chosen to type things out instead of writing, edits would not be evident, and readers would not be able to see any of the changes because changes on a computer are immediate unless you use certain editing functions or make comments on the side. By using pen and paper, you can see the errors and edits that were made as I wrote the entry.
What do you feel is the most significant difference between writing by hand and using mechanized forms of writing? Which do you prefer and why?
Mechanized forms of writing such as letterpress involve meticulous planning and craftmanship because if you get it wrong or if you haven’t planned your way forward through that, then you have to take it all apart and start all over again (Danny Cooke Freelance Filmmaker, 2012). Typewriters would be the same where you have to start over again. These types of mechanized forms of writing are rare these days. Printing is often digitalized nowadays, and technology has pushed things forward where changes can be made instantaneously. Writing by hand is the most traditional way of writing and documenting and I prefer it. There is a certain amount of personalization to it. For example, when writing a special note, card, or letter to your friends and loved ones. I enjoyed documenting my thoughts and feelings in diary entries and letters. With the innovation of technology, we often resort to noting things on our phones or laptops. We do most of our work on our devices. There is something special about writing on paper. Writing by hand is almost a form of art that I hope people will continue to embrace as time goes on.
Reference
Danny Cooke Freelance Filmmaker. (2012, January 26). Upside down, left to right: A letterpress film. [Video]. YouTube.
Joti
June 7, 2024 — 10:35 am
Lucy, I enjoyed reading your reflection on writing by hand during your trip. It’s wonderful how you find the experience therapeutic and personal, especially when documenting special moments like visiting your brother. Your appreciation for the tactile, artistic nature of handwriting really resonated with me, especially considering your teaching perspective on embracing mistakes as part of the learning process. I appreciated reading a differing perspective than my own, as I am not one to journal and generally choose to type.
However like you, I also noticed the challenges and unique aspects of writing by hand during my recent experience. While I primarily type my work for efficiency, the task of writing a reflection by hand, which I did alongside a class, reminded me of the limitations and frustrations of handwriting, such as scratching out mistakes and managing fatigue (it was a good reminder of what students might be going through). This exercise, much like your diary entry, highlighted how writing by hand can sometimes hinder my ability to plan and revise effectively, which digital tools easily facilitate.
However, your reflection made me appreciate the value of handwriting in capturing personal experiences and emotions in a way that typing cannot. While I prefer the flexibility and ease of editing that comes with typing, your point about the personalization of handwritten notes and the artistry involved in writing by hand is compelling. Both our reflections highlight a balance between the efficiency of digital tools and the intimate, expressive nature of handwriting, suggesting that both forms have their own unique benefits and places in our lives.
Lucy Lai
June 13, 2024 — 7:12 am
Dear Joti,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. I am so glad my post resonated with you even though we share different perspectives. You articulated your thoughts so clearly and I really appreciate that. I found myself nodding in agreement to so much of what you shared. I do agree with you that most of the time we type now because of efficiency and how easily we can edit our work. It’s almost as if it’s default that we would use our computer or laptop to do our work. I think the accessibility to devices has made it so easy for us.
I really like how you brought up the limitations and frustrations of handwriting, as I have forgotten to consider the perspective of writer’s fatigue that our students might be going through, especially when it comes to academic writing. Thinking back to my own experience in high school or university time, I remember dreading about writing in class essays. I’ve learned that I am someone who takes time and care when processing my thoughts and I had a hard time putting all my ideas onto paper with a time constraint. Therefore, in class essays were the worst. A classmate could write nonstop and complete three pages while I may be still on my first just because I was so fixated on not wanting to make mistakes. Thankfully, no more in class essays now! What was your experience like? Now as an adult, if I were to handwrite it is almost always for personal use – notes, lists, cards, diary entries, etc. This way of writing is much more enjoyable for me. There is definitely a balance between handwriting and typing, and like you said, they have unique benefits and play a significant role in our lives. It would be interesting to see what the future holds for both typing and writing by hand.