| Author | Message | ||
| James Michael
Valued Member Username: punkikk Post Number: 138 Registered: 03-2004 |
Iv'e been wondering lately whether writing poetry on the computer is hazardous to learning how to write poetry or if it helps. It is much easier and faster to erase, think, type, as opposed to writing on a paper medium wich can become sloppy and whatnot... Is typing poetry on the computer just going to form the habit of being a lazy writer? :-) <---- cool signature ain't it? | ||
| Gary Blankenship
Senior Member Username: garyb Post Number: 4837 Registered: 07-2001 |
Like most things, depends. One can treat it lightly by writing too fast without adequate review; however, there is no reason equal care can not be taken on a puter if not more. Typing is typing, only corrections are easier on the puter. And for some of us, our penmanship is so bad, we don't do well handwriting. One puter complaint is that the history of revisions is lost, there will be no future Byron portfolio of changes and pondering. Second, the forums are the secret. Throwing yourself into a few, hard crit forums - if you have time - is like accellerating your education. Just be careful, the workshops you pick are a match to your personality. IE, if you chafe at even mild crits, stay away from the tough love places. Luck. Gary The new, August FireWeed is ready for you to read. Go in through http://www.mindfirerenew.com/ to get to the issue in a click or two. | ||
| LJ Cohen
Moderator Username: ljc Post Number: 2921 Registered: 07-2002 |
James, As Gary says, it depends. I like the feel of paper and pen for a first draft. Then I usually transfer to the screen to take a clean look. I try to keep track of my revisions because gary is right--it's easy to lose that thread composing on the computer. There are valuable things to learn from your own revision process, even years after your poem was written. best, ljc http://ljcbluemuse.blogspot.com/ | ||
| KA
New member Username: kerryann Post Number: 35 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hi James. I like to write mine on the computer. However, I keep a pad of paper and pen with me for times I am away from any computer. I keep a text document called "scraps" which I regularly back up. I use this document to help me along with my poems, and also with my stories. I don't think writing on the computer hinders the process of writing and deleting and editing a poem. In short, I think any way you're comfortable is the right way for you, be it on the computer, on a piece of paper, or with a voice recorder. I hope I made sense. (Message edited by kerryann on September 16, 2005) | ||
| "A-Bear"
Moderator Username: dane Post Number: 1385 Registered: 11-1998 |
Yes, no, maybe, probably not, but all the same, it depends on the writer and what he/she hopes to achieve in the end. I find both mediums equally challenging (paper and computer). The key, I believe, is to let it stew like a good gumbo before submitting it for review (i.e., foist and foremost, season it as best you can with proper punctuation, grammatical usage, spelling, etc., before offering it to others for a taste test. Personally, I find a lot of people (myself included) get overly excited when they realize a coherent thought. Rather than hurrying the process and tossing it against the wall, take a Valium; look at it again in the morning. I have writings that have been sitting in my word file for years and they will probably never come to fruition. I like having them in my computer because they remain available and can easily be edited, if and when, the whim or muse should overtake me again. It could happen, no? D | ||
| Dale McLain
Advanced Member Username: sparklingseas Post Number: 1329 Registered: 11-2004 |
James~ I have written for years on paper and more recently on the computer. For me, the editing process is much easier on the computer... seeing my poems typed as opposed to scribbled (as I often write in the car on a receipt or scrap of paper) makes me more contientious about finishing and revising. In short, I take my writing more seriously when I see it before me on the screen. Eventhough they are just documents on my computer they feel more tangible and real to me than all those raggedy partial poems I have in notebooks. take care~dale (Message edited by sparklingseas on September 16, 2005) | ||
| Emusing
Moderator Username: emusing Post Number: 1799 Registered: 08-2003 |
I think it's whatever works more naturally for you. One of my friends writes everything on long legal pads and then types it up later. Watching him write is like Degas capturing a dancer in flight--it's magical. Another friend types everything EVERYTHING even long beautiful letters on his old Remington typewriter. If the flow flows when you're on the computer, go for it. If it works better on paper, that's the way to go. It's all in da flow. E | ||
| M
Board Administrator Username: mjm Post Number: 5266 Registered: 11-1998 |
I think everyone finds their own personal way of working, James, and no, I don't think computers lead to lazy writers. Personally, I can't compose anything now without the computer. For some reason, it helps me to see the words printed rather than written. I've tried to go back and write in longhand on paper, but it never works. I've acclimated to the computer's improvements in ease of editing. The only thing I can write longhand are journal entries. But poetry? Nope -- got to have a computer handy to compose that. *sigh* Love, M |
