I know - I'm sort of behind the times here, haha! Laptop computers have been around for 20 years or more. I remember seeing ads for Apple's Powerbooks in the early 1990s. And around that same time, when I attended a local, ongoing, small group writing workshop, led by writing instructor and author Laura Shore, there was a fellow writer, Brian, who worked at IBM - he'd bring his IBM ThinkPad to class and read his work in progress from its screen. I remember being fascinated by it, and by the idea that it could be used to write anytime, anywhere.
Of course, it's always been pretty easy to write anytime and anywhere, by simply using a paper notebook and pen or pencil. Spiral notebooks and bound journals have always served me well, and I still use them for journaling and for taking notes and making outlines for writing projects. There are rows of filled and empty notebooks and journals lining my bookcases, and stacks of them in bins in my storage space. I think I'll always do some form of writing with paper and pen.
One of my favorite books on writing is Writing Down the Bones (1986, Shambala Publicatons, Inc.), by author, writing instructor and Zen practitioner Natalie Goldberg. In the first chapter, "Beginner's Mind, Pen and Paper," she says, "First, consider the pen you write with. It should be a fast writing pen, because your thoughts are always much faster than your hand. ... You want to be able to feel the connection and texture of the pen on paper. Think, too, about your notebook. It is important. This is your equipment, like hammer and nails to a carpenter. (Feel fortunate - for very little money you are in business!) ... Give yourself a lot of space in which to explore writing."
I agree with the idea that writing is an inexpensive vocation, especially compared to other art forms. Like painting, which requires costly paints, brushes and canvases. At least, the art materials seemed pretty expensive to me, when I worked in an art supply store - the materials required for a basic college painting class added up to a few hundred dollars. Or music - I played the flute when I was in school, and I had a basic, serviceable student model. But I'm aware that nowadays, even student-quality flutes cost several hundred dollars, while professional-quality ones are priced in the thousands. Or photography - Ian has invested a lot of money on his cameras and equipment, and on printing and framing his works.
Natalie Goldberg adds, "Sometimes, instead of writing in a notebook, you might want to directly type out your thoughts. Writing is physical and is affected by the equipment you use. In typing, your fingers hit keys, and the result is block, black letters: a different aspect of yourself may come out. ... Handwriting is more connected to the movement of the heart."
I like the distinction she makes between typing and handwriting. I also find that's easier to express my day to day thoughts and feelings in a journal. There's just something so visceral in letting it all out in ink on paper. Writing is, in some ways, like "open[ing] a vein," as sportswriter Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith famously described it. I think I'll always journal in notebooks.
But I've gotten used to typing out my writing on a computer. I find it easy now to compose a rough draft, reworking passages and correcting typos and grammatical errors as I go along. And, even if I'm just writing a blog, or posting on a message board, I'm still careful in how I express my words, making sure they're clearly stated and understandable, and that I'm still following the rules of grammar and style, and not resorting to lazy shortcuts that tend to be widely used in online writing.
Now that I have a Netbook, I hope I'll write more often and in more places. There's a great feeling of freedom in not being tethered to a desk. I can truly write anytime, anywhere. I can spend every nice day this spring and summer writing outside. I can write in the B & N cafe on my breaks from work, or before or after my shifts. I can write while relaxing on the living room couch, with my feet up on the coffee table. I can even write in bed! My Netbook is lightweight and portable, and as long as there's a Wi-fi connection, I can also go online anywhere. That's great for research, or fact-checking - how else would I have found out who said the often-quoted "open a vein" remark, if not for Google and Wikipedia?
I just have to make sure I don't fall into the black hole of aimless web-surfing, when I'm supposed to be writing instead! I admit, that's so easy to succumb to doing. Like always, I have to stay disciplined, and keep my mind on the goal of finishing a work in progress. And hopefully, this Netbook will enable more of my works-in-progress to finally be finished. Time will tell if it does help me to be more productive in my writing. For now, I'm just enjoying the freedom of writing anytime, anyplace!
