I’ve got a challenge for you. An old fashioned writing challenge.
Write with Pencil and Paper
We spend so much time in the digital world, I’m waiting for that scary world portrayed in 1984 where we just think and the computers hear us. (No more carpal tunnel?) I think our brains can use a good refreshing with some non-digital time. I know the Sundays where I stay in bed and do nothing but read and write in my journal is remarkably energizing for my creative energy and productivity.
Many of you will be familiar with Julia Cameron’s morning pages – starting out every day by dumping out all of that crap in your head into a journal. Not a digital one, but a written one. It’s a powerful exercise, but
Why Paper?
One of Deb’s 40 lessons learned from 5 years of blogging is to keep pen and paper nearby. Yes, you could just write down ideas in your smartphone, but sometimes I think that drawing a picture or connecting the dots and lines is useful. When I do new website idea designs these days, or new business models, I draw them on paper before putting them in Powerpoint, with a follow-up word document if I need it.
Deb also says that writing on paper makes writing less of a chore. I’d agree – you can get worn down into a grind with posts, pages, word counts and spell checks. Paper is a blank space to be filled as your pencil or pen feels fit. It won’t crash or freezeup, losing your work.
Insert dramatic pause here:
The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium. ~Norbet Platt
Your Challenge
So, I’d like to challenge you for your next blog post, sales page, book chapter, or website copywriting tasks, close your laptop, go sit in a cafe or somewhere comfortable, and write. Reflect on the process start-to-finish:
- Do you find it easier to get started without those shiny distractions of Twitter, Facebook, or Email?
- Does the act of pen on paper give you a new perspective on your creative process?
- Can you enjoy the freedom and constraints of making edits, drawing arrows, or the ultimate satisfaction of scrunching up the paper and starting a new sheet?
- Does the process take longer or shorter than normal? Any idea why?
- Do you feel your creative output was better than usual, or worse? Again, any idea why?
I’ll join you for this tasks by writing my next FWJ post on paper first. Let’s meet back here at FWJ and compare notes?
Photo by quacktaculous