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Dec. 7, 2004 It’s a problem that I have—I write my ideas down for my novels, poems, stories, etc on paper. It’s my instinct—pen and paper. No, I don’t reach for my PDA or notebook—mostly because my best ideas come during my days off, holidays, or when I get randomly inspired by a certain events that occur in my life. Why is it that a majority of people are like that? They opt for the quick and easy pen/pencil and paper when they are inspired? One reason is that it’s cheaper—not everyone can afford technology; another reason is that people don’t always carry such items around at the right time, and thirdly, we’ve created this aura that the pen and paper are the rulers of all writing. This idea starts from our first days of school (like I’ve mentioned so many times before). Yet this can be changed—with some difficulty; things like income level and wanting to change are a tad bit harder to change. My father recounted to me how he learned in school—the teacher would lecture, they would write on erasable tablets, and she would mark them on that effort. Then they would erase the tablet and start all over again. No, they didn’t have paper, pens, or pencils; that was reserved for the rich or the higher educated. In the 1940’s, in such a poor Slavic country that he had come from, that was how his studying was carried out. This story he related to me when I was in elementary school. When he saw me with my first computer in University (I was the first child that had a computer), he wondered where the world was going to. Admittedly, he was quite impressed with the 75 MHz ability of the computer and its low resolution graphics (to him, the graphics were phenomenal). His comment was, at the time, “Our writing tablets were nothing like you have today.” To him, the way writing and technology had advanced over the last seventy years never ceased to amaze him. But he, himself, will never, nor ever, wants to stray from pen and paper. Even at his ripe young age of seventy. He also commented on how much more paper we waste these days than in his time. Even when I write letters to his family for him, he (and my mom) always comment on how much space I waste on the paper. They write on both sides of the paper, just like North Americans do, but they also write on the margins and in every last space available. No, there is no wasted paper. In effect, a 3 ½ page letter (not using both sides), normal North American style, would end up being 1 page, double-sided and fully margin utilized, European style. Go figure. Now that’s conservation. My brother (eleven years older than myself) hates using computers. He says that they’re a waste of time. His choice is also pen and paper over technology. He’s not inept at using the computer; I believe he firmly thinks that he can do a faster and better job the old fashioned way. No matter what I have tried to do in my power, the computer is, and always shall be, his enemy. For me, my best thoughts are written down on paper. I don’t know why this is. It’s like it draws out the best in me and what I can do. Then I take that brainstorm, and I put it on computer. There’s only one manuscript I did fully on paper, and transferred it on computer. It was a job I would never do again. Maybe my future children will think that I’m a dinosaur with the way I do things. I really do hope they do. That means that they’re wiser and better than I am and that they’re more aware of things around them than I ever was. I personally wouldn’t call myself a “dinosaur”, only a writer with a very bad habit which needs to be broken. I’m till working on it. Even this article was initially written down on paper. I really need to work on it. Till next time. ------------ About the author: Barbara has been writing short stories for the enjoyment of friends and family for years. In the Collection she has decided to share some of these stories and insights with others. Barbara lives in Calgary, Alberta and enjoys writing, reading and tending to her other field: accounting. Website: http://www.authorsden.com/barbaraannamarjanovic Email: blueswan28@yahoo.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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