I'm delighted to hear you have found software which means you can continue fic writing. And congratulations on the wordage.
Even if I'm typing I like to go in order if I can, with full sentences. It's much the same if I handwrite, although I tend to type it up before I do much editing.
I really appreciate the typed word if I'm writing 60s or drabbles, because for a start it makes it easy to count the words - I tend to abbreviate when I handwrite, so I don't always pick everything up correctly. And then for removing/adding the odd word or two to achieve the correct number is much easier on the screen.
For our sakes as well as yours, very glad to hear you'll be writing again. Good wishes for your hands and wrists in all ways!
I've not tried anything as advanced as voice-activated. But when I could write fic, I found the easier computer writing meant I was more likely to waste more time on dead ends and blind alleys (if there's a diffence.)
more likely to waste more time on dead ends and blind alleys Exactly! That's what I was trying to put my finger on. I feel like computers make me feel words are more "disposable", so to speak, a bit like with photographic film vs a digital camera, and so I write a lot of words I'll never use. That can be a good or a bad thing!
I would have to say that typing on a computer fits my writing style perfectly. I'm definitely not a linear writer - it helps so much to be able to flit from scene to scene, and also flit about within individual scenes. I find once I get stuff up on the screen, more ideas start to come to me as to how to link things up. Like your mentioned style, I sketch - I use more full sentences but I would definitely call it sketching. It's important to me to have a full, if rough, draft before I worry about making it good ^^
I'm so glad that you've got this new software. Fandom needs your writing ^__^
Now I'm really curious! Did you also do a lot of writing back in the days before computers were so widespread? I feel like it would have been much harder to write like that back then.
And it's cool to hear someone else uses this same sketching technique I do :) I often wonder how everybody else writes!
Did you also do a lot of writing back in the days before computers were so widespread? Well, everything I wrote was very, very short ^_^ I do remember as a child I would start from the beginning and make my way to the end - because I thought that's how you were supposed to write.
In recent years, before we got a computer at home, I would often write in my head - sometimes reciting stuff out loud while I was walking. I'd have sections of the story listed in my head and move from one to the other to work on. And I'd write notes and scenes out of order on paper - before eventually writing it all down in the correct order and then frantically typing it up at the library.
But once I got over the initial strangeness of putting my thoughts directly onto a screen, it just felt so natural writing using a computer. It really is the perfect fit for me. It's allowed me to gradually write longer and longer stuff.
I echo everyone else's sentiment that I am grateful you found a way to keep ficcing. I enjoy your stories very much And what a wonder technology is. Though your colors may never be colours again :(
Sorry about the pain in your wrists and hands, though. That kind of chronic pain is very tough.
I write in a very linear fashion. Not much jumping. By the time it hits the screen, it's been jumbled around in my head all day. But I write poetry differently from fic. I write it by hand on envelopes and receipts and flyers for pizza, rubbish basically. Even when I have the option of using the computer, I usually don't, until the end.
I really appreciate you writing about how technology has helped you and how it has impacted your thinking and writing procedure. I'm facing a bit of the same obstacles with typing due to the neck and hand troubles I've had for a long time, but not to the same degree you have. I'm struggling with the IDEA of dictating aloud, which I haven't done since the late 1980s, into a cassette recorder. Aside from the readings of podfic I did in the mid 200s, I suppose
( ... )
As a matter of fact, what I learnt from you about TTS is what first inspired me to think that the opposite technology might now work well too, i.e. STT (though no one ever seems to call it that).
I had completely forgotten my typewriter phase! Gosh, those things made so much noise. I guess in an office environment it's not a problem - I never used one in an office - but at home in the evenings it was a problem. Not to mention the tangled typewriter ribbon...
One of the great things about dictation is that it's one of the few very things (together with listening to audiobooks/podfic) that you can do while lying down flat. You should give it a try! If you have some sort of iPad or tablet, you probably already have the necessary software installed. The first few days were incredibly frustrating, when the computer only managed to capture aboat 20% of what I was saying, but now with a bit of practice I'm up to 90%.
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Even if I'm typing I like to go in order if I can, with full sentences. It's much the same if I handwrite, although I tend to type it up before I do much editing.
I really appreciate the typed word if I'm writing 60s or drabbles, because for a start it makes it easy to count the words - I tend to abbreviate when I handwrite, so I don't always pick everything up correctly. And then for removing/adding the odd word or two to achieve the correct number is much easier on the screen.
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It's very interesting to see all the different approaches people have to writing :)
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I've not tried anything as advanced as voice-activated. But when I could write fic, I found the easier computer writing meant I was more likely to waste more time on dead ends and blind alleys (if there's a diffence.)
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more likely to waste more time on dead ends and blind alleys
Exactly! That's what I was trying to put my finger on. I feel like computers make me feel words are more "disposable", so to speak, a bit like with photographic film vs a digital camera, and so I write a lot of words I'll never use. That can be a good or a bad thing!
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I'm so glad that you've got this new software. Fandom needs your writing ^__^
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And it's cool to hear someone else uses this same sketching technique I do :) I often wonder how everybody else writes!
Reply
In recent years, before we got a computer at home, I would often write in my head - sometimes reciting stuff out loud while I was walking. I'd have sections of the story listed in my head and move from one to the other to work on. And I'd write notes and scenes out of order on paper - before eventually writing it all down in the correct order and then frantically typing it up at the library.
But once I got over the initial strangeness of putting my thoughts directly onto a screen, it just felt so natural writing using a computer. It really is the perfect fit for me. It's allowed me to gradually write longer and longer stuff.
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Sorry about the pain in your wrists and hands, though. That kind of chronic pain is very tough.
I write in a very linear fashion. Not much jumping. By the time it hits the screen, it's been jumbled around in my head all day. But I write poetry differently from fic. I write it by hand on envelopes and receipts and flyers for pizza, rubbish basically. Even when I have the option of using the computer, I usually don't, until the end.
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That's really interesting that you write fic and poetry so differently. I guess it would also be difficult to fit an entire fic on a pizza flyer :D
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I had completely forgotten my typewriter phase! Gosh, those things made so much noise. I guess in an office environment it's not a problem - I never used one in an office - but at home in the evenings it was a problem. Not to mention the tangled typewriter ribbon...
One of the great things about dictation is that it's one of the few very things (together with listening to audiobooks/podfic) that you can do while lying down flat. You should give it a try! If you have some sort of iPad or tablet, you probably already have the necessary software installed. The first few days were incredibly frustrating, when the computer only managed to capture aboat 20% of what I was saying, but now with a bit of practice I'm up to 90%.
Reply
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