Unpacking the Writing Experience

The following piece is from Purposeful Prose's guest writer, Chartres Royal. We sincerely thank them for, once again, lending us their time and contributions to our community of writers. Today's article covers different tools that writers can use to customize their writing process. When writers are first taught, they are usually given a prescribed "correct" way to plan their writing and a set of tools to use. However, there is no "one size fits all" tool for writers. We think differently, so we write differently. Thanks again to our guest writer for joining us this week. We hope for many more contributions!

Writing. You know what it is. I mean, I hope you do, otherwise this is going to get awkward. Either way, writing. It's a process with many different elements and parts. There's the stuff we all know: how to put together a story, how to shift perspectives, how to craft a message, how to put the right word in the right place, and how to use too many commas and run-ons for the express purpose of being annoying to your editor. There are parts we leave out, though.

In this piece, I want to focus on stuff that’s not technically outside the realm of writing and creativity but is kind of close. We're going to talk about the things that are a part of your writing process. The kinds of equipment we use, the kind of atmosphere that works best for you, even the programs you use to write things on.

Won't that be fun?

I mean, it will be to me but I'm also a huge nerd, so grain of salt and all that.

PART ONE: WHERE ARE YOU?

Let's start with a basic question: Where are you? Do you do your writing there? If not, why? What is the most comfortable place for you to feel creative? Is it a quiet place or does it have certain background noises? Is it music or white noise? Does the music have lyrics? Will I ever stop asking questions and finally make a point?

Mostly, no. I'm asking you these things because I am a creature with an enigmatic and indiscernible nature who cannot be simply defined by points and statistics. That's a really nice way of saying I don't know what I'm saying most of the time. I intentionally make my writing process creative and fun!

Let’s focus. Start with where you are sitting. You're going to create, to write. Whatever you want to write is up to you, but where are you sitting? Are you sitting at all?

Let's assume you are sitting for now. We'll come back to standing and even walking. What kind of chair do you have? Are you at a desktop computer with a proper office chair? Maybe you have one of those more robust and luxurious office chairs. Leather or fabric? Does it recline? Maybe you're not at a desk at all. Maybe you have a laptop and like to relax on your sofa while you create. Maybe you're not even at home, and you’re sitting in the park or in a coffee shop. Any of these options are perfectly fine, but we must consider our comfort.

We tend to forget the amount of time it takes, when writing something, that we are actually working. I feel that disconnect too. When I get really, really into a task, I lose myself in my work. Time passes and I'm not even paying attention. Then, when I’m feeling pretty satisfied with your work, I get up and...oh man, that does not feel good. A proper seat is something to consider when doing this kind of work. A bad seat can and will hurt your back if you're there for too long.

Now, let's get to our standing and walking friends. I know about standing desks. If you have one, I'm jealous. Also, that's an interesting decision! Humans, by our nature, are not meant to be as sedentary as we are. We need to walk, to move, to be using our bodies. However, the writing and creative process is mostly work of the mind. This means you will spend more time focusing on what you are trying to make rather than your body. Again, you’ll get lost in the creative process. There's no shame in that.

I love it when a good project overtakes me and I can really, really get into it! A standing desk offers you even more flexibility. The ability to stop and stretch while still being able to focus on the project you’re passionate about is a great thing!

Earlier, I did bring up walking. Under-desk treadmills are pretty popular. Again, if you have one, I'm jealous. If there's one thing I love more than creating my own strange stories and work, it's going on a good hike. Being able to get myself moving and getting my energy up is ideal. The best way to do any of that is to go outside, but if you live in a place like I do, that's not always an option. The weather around here can be... "unfriendly". So, having the option to get my energy up, do some walking, and keep my thoughts and ideas organized for future projects? That sounds amazing!

What does your creative space sound like? Is it quiet? Musical? Calming? Maybe you hear the sounds of a busy coffee shop or the sounds of nature. All of these are valid. The sound of your workspace is also important to your creative task. When I write articles like this, for example, I prefer calming music. Something quiet but enough to keep my mind focused on what my subject is. When I'm working on a different project, I'll pick out different music to match the tone or subject. All of this is to say that different sounds can also affect your creative environment. For me, music while writing has to be a certain tone, and most of the time, it cannot have lyrics. I have a habit of typing out what I'm trying to say when talking or typing out what I hear instead of what I'm trying to type. What about you? What best suits your creative mood?

PART TWO: WHAT ARE YOU USING?

We talked a little about hardware and desks, but let's get into something more robust. Let's talk about other kinds of hardware. Specifically, what are you using to make your writing happen? Are you using an ultra-modern desktop with all the extras? Maybe an older laptop that feels the most comfortable since it was the first system you ever wrote something on? Maybe you prefer more physical media. How about a typewriter? Pen and paper? All of these options are excellent choices! After all, writing is an art, and much like painting or composing, different tools can help you create different things. There's no limit to what you can use and there is no “right” way to do it.

Since I started this project, I found many interesting options. Let’s start with keyboards. I've always been a fan of the old-style mechanical keyboards. Their clicky keys and individual switches always appealed to me. Granted, the first keyboards I ever used were like that. I'm an old soul, and I remember the days of the IBM Model M keyboards. I don't have one of those now, however. I have a more modern solution with the same kind of old-style design. My current keyboard is a Keychron K10. It's a versatile and reliable little board. The ability to repair it yourself goes a long way for me, too. That is a conversation for another time, though.

What about you? Do you like a mechanical keyboard? Perhaps that's too much noise and action for your writing needs. That's fair. Do you prefer the easy touch of a membrane board like those on most modern laptops? A lot of people seem to prefer that kind of thing. There’s much less travel between each button press, and they respond very quickly. I can understand why some people prefer them for writing and gaming. Maybe you don't like either of those options. Maybe you prefer the feel of a typewriter. I hadn't used one of those in a very long time. However, I did inherit one. It belonged to my grandmother, and it has been in storage for a long time.

For this article, I decided to try it out for myself. I was able to get the machine from storage and get it set up. I remembered it as an electric typewriter. Then again, I last saw it when I was about nine, so I was wrong. It's not a typewriter. It is a Smith Corona Personal Word Processor. It looks like a typewriter, but these were made to replace the desktop PC when that was just becoming a more popular office tool. Clearly, that worked, as you're all reading this in my self-published magazine that I sell at the organic market on Saturdays.

Jokes aside, it is a delight of a machine. They keyboard is similar to my Keychron. The instant feedback is lovely even if I don't really have anything I can use as a medium to write on. I even had a plan to write some sections of this article on that machine, but while it does have a digital storage medium, it is not compatible with modern machines by a long shot. There might be an adapter of some kind, but I've not seen one. Still, I now understand why some people choose to work exclusively with typewriters or word processors. I won't lie, I'm tempted to get one for myself.

Still, the limits of our technology come down to software.

PART THREE: WRITING SOFTWARE!

This part of this experience probably took me the longest, but it was possibly the most fun. I learned a lot, and I'm excited to share more with you all. Let's start with the basics: Microsoft Word, iWork Pages, and Libre Writer. You've probably heard of at least one of these. Microsoft Word is the Windows word processing software, iWork Pages is the one for Mac, and Libre Writer is the one for Linux (depending on distro).

Are they good? Sure! They're exactly what one would expect from writing software, made to meet as many needs as they can for work and for creation.

There has to be more, though, right? Well, of course! I found so many interesting pieces of unique software for writers. I found some on Itch.io as well as many other personal projects. As humans, we like variety. We enjoy things that can entertain as well as stimulate, even while we're working. Sometimes, you just need something different to help you get things done, you know? I found programs like "TEXTREME" by Ash K and "WriteRush" by levihanlen to be wonderful examples of that. Both programs provide fun and interesting feedback on every press of a key or every word written, encouraging you to keep going, keep making. In some cases, these programs cause confetti, explosions, and other fun things to happen while you keep working on your project!

I even came across a whole new OS for the Raspberry Pi dedicated to writing. It's called "PiWrite Writing Platform" and it's by Nate Taylor. From everything I've seen on the page, it looks incredible. There are many wonderful tools packed into a precise package. I haven't had a chance to test it in full because I don't have another SD card for my own Raspberry Pi, but I can assure you, I will as soon as I can. Who knows? It might become my new go-to writing platform!

I also attempted to give WordStar for DOS a try. I didn't have much luck. I wanted to try it since I heard the story that George R. R. Martin uses an older DOS-based machine to do all of his work. Or used? I found conflicting reports on that. Either way, Martin said it's less distracting and it fits all of his needs, so I figure it must be worth a shot, right? That was the plan, only I couldn't seem to get DOSBOX to help me in this quest. So, no WordStar for me...unless?

That's right, there is a current version of WordStar available for your PC right now! It's called "WordTsar" and it's very interesting. While I was trying to get WordStar to work, I read through forums and other articles on the program. I saw WordTsar mentioned in a few places I was checking. So, I gave it a try. It's very similar. It just doesn’t have the 80s PC monitor. WordTsar was fun to use, stable, and it had all the keyboard shortcut commands you remember.

At this point, I was fascinated. I needed to know more. Was this a direct clone of WordStar?  It's a totally re-built program, more compatible with modern machines, that still give you the experience of WordStar people knew and loved. WordTsar is a passion project, something built because someone wanted the feel of a retro word processor without having to find a computer made thirty years ago. Totally understandable.

Now, for the best part. The creator is Gerald Brandt, multi-award-winning author of the San Angeles trilogy! I was blown away after learning this. This man has the time and the talent to write several books and, in his spare time, make a whole word processing program!

I have to admit, one of the inspirations I had to go on this exploration of writing tools was this. Mr. Brandt embodies the very soul of what I've been saying. Your tools, your medium, and your environment form your experience of writing just as much as your actions do. Brandt could have kept using one of the big writing programs we talked about earlier, but he didn't want that. He wanted something special, something different. Creativity is unbound! If you don't like using the tools you were handed, then find news ones! If you can't find the one that's right for you, make one!

CONCLUSION

There is no wrong way to do things when it comes to creativity. If being at home with a desktop computer is how you write best, do it! If being in the park with a pen and paper is best, do that! If you find your best work is composed while sitting in a room, wearing a VR headset, typing out your work on a screen that isn't really in front of you while listening to house music from the late 90s, turn up the bass and do it!

Your expression is just that: Yours. Never let anyone tell you can't do it your way. The most celebrated writers have made their names deviating from the "norm". After all, without experimentation and learning, we'd never have a norm to begin with. So, try new things. Maybe some of the examples I gave are for you. Maybe you need a standing desk. I know I do.

To properly end this, I'll give you a bit of what I use. We already covered the keyboard. It's a Keychron. The software? I wrote this whole article in GNU Nano running through Cool Retro Terminal. What can I say? I'm a sucker for the old PC experience. Now, get out there and start creating, future stars.