For this week’s blog I want to reflect on how I was taught to write essays (in hand) vs. how I write them now (on a computer). I am especially interested in how the computer has affected the creative process of writing. I will therefore use the blog as an opportunity to try and write how I used to in hand. Well since this blog has to be uploaded digitally, I will technically be writing on the computer, while using the essence of writing in hand. So I have set up some rules for myself: I won’t move around the structure later and in general I will focus on how the handwritten essay can not easily be edited. If I want to make changes later I will then have to write out a completely new draft.
Computers were introduced into the classroom a few years after I started school. This meant that my classmates and I had a few years of school where most work was done offline, except when we took a trip down to the school’s computer lab. For homework we had different notebooks for different classes, and we would have to turn in the whole notebook when the work was to be graded. One of the very important differences I remember was how much the planning of an essay was stressed by my teachers. This would take the form of mindmaps and outlines usually. Not that I no longer plan at all, but the planning of an essay would take up way more time. Which is why I for today’s blog used a mindmap to map out my ideas. I must admit it is the first one I have done in many years.
Later on when we would only use computers this process of writing had changed dramatically. First of all, I now will only look at the spelling/grammar of my essay at my final read through. My priorities have changed and rather than planning out carefully I am now very eager to just get the words and sentences out. In a way the planning now seems like a waste of time when using mindmaps. Instead I focus on trying to write out my ideas, and then editing that to a sort of outline. When writing now on computers there will be many different drafts, and sometimes the structures will be completely reworked later if I deem it a better fit.
Even when writing this now I struggle to slow down and reflect while writing. I need to go back after each sentence to make sure it communicates exactly what I am intending. It halts the creative flow in a way. It makes me realize how fast I am actually writing normally. The constant planning ahead takes out a lot of my energy but with the use of my mindmap and outline it keeps me on track for the intention of my essay. The multiple readthroughs throughout the process of writing also leads to less edits later on. These are some of the strengths of writing out in hand and especially the clear intention is something I lack today. It does require a lot more patience I would argue. Even just writing this blog I had to do a complete rewrite to work in new ideas. I will say I prefer the computer even with its faults because the creative flow of the computer can in my opinion not be matched. But this little exercise and reflecting motivates me to a little more planning ahead of essays, to limit my long editing times. I might even bring pen and paper to do a mindmap for my next assignment.
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