“Having a good balance is the best way to maximize your productivity in the writing process.” – dimitrireyespoet.com
Where do you find yourself writing most often? In a laptop or a notebook? Personally, these days I’m on both ends of the spectrum and either pen a poem on paper or type it up on the laptop depending on how I am feeling (or if the poem is calling for it!) In my experience, I’ve seen that you can’t really have one over the other because both are helpful. Poetry isn’t like math where there are 3 or 4 ways to get to a solution. The ways in which one can create a poem are infinite, and you’ll find out that you’ll have certain preferences on your own journey. I’ll share with you what I’ve gathered about using notebooks and laptops.
Notebooks
- Notebooks are really cool because they can reflect your style and be as customizable as your imagination. With so many different colors, sizes, and styles you can personalize it to your liking and create your own experience. I’ve seen poets… write in spiral notebooks and prefer the option of tearing away pages… write in 3 subject notebooks where a section can be dedicated to notes, first drafts, then additional drafts.. write in large memo pads… write in composition notebooks that are durable… and write in a makeshift book of folded 8 ½ x 11’s with a cereal box cover.
- This also extends to different writing utensils. The first time I ever noticed the blackwing Palomino was when my professor, Brenda Shaughnessy was using it in class. One day when I asked her about it, she mentioned how she liked the flat top eraser that was interchangeable and was very useful for a serial eraser.
Palomino Blackwing Pencils 12 Pack
3. Although a bit more messy, you can also use different types of ink writing instruments like calligraphy, fountain pens, and quills which all make for a different writing experience.
4. Books are also cool because they’re very low maintenance and compact. You can take them everywhere. They don’t need batteries, wifi, or an outlet and if they’re really small you can put them in your back pocket. You can take them on trains, to class, in an uber, on public transportation and you’ll always have them with you.
5. There are a few drawbacks to notebooks, though. Inevitably, a notebook is only as neat as their writer. My writings are hieroglyphs. If anyone were to get a hold of my notebook, they’d spend half of the time trying to code messages in between my various scratched out lines and letters-written-darker-atop-other-letters.
6. Lastly, the bigger problem is what happens if you lose this notebook? What happens if you leave it on the train or at a reading? Suddenly, without a cloud, online history, or even a desktop recycling bin, your work is lost for good.
All in all, notebooks are solid objects. When using them, you’re in contact with paper and pens or pencils. When you’re reading your notes or writing your poems, you’re doing so in the beautiful book where the words were handmade by you. There is almost a spiritual energy that is created when you write into a book that is solely yours and it almost feels ritualistic. That’s the gasoline that can get me through poetry writing on some days— and when I’m consciously thinking about that, I write with more intention.
Laptops / Desktop Computers
- I love laptops because writing programs are so helpful and can literally help you at any stage of the draft/ revision process. There are at least 10 reasons why laptops are super helpful when writing and here are a few: you can delete, add, copy, paste, and move around your poem without needing to start writing the whole thing all over again or making random stars and arrows to different locations.
- Also if you’re a fast typer like me, it’s easier for your mind and the poem to keep up with one another. Sometimes the ideas are flowing faster than what I can pen down on paper and you can run the risk of forgetting a great idea.
- Yet, I can be the first to admit that laptops can be distracting. You can be looking up information online and all of a sudden a cute video of kittens pops up on the side of a blog and suddenly I’m— the poet— is down a rabbit hole. 2-3 hours and several kitties-riding-T-rexes-though-space later and you’ve totally forgotten why you even opened up the internet in the first place
- If your notifications are on, this is another thing that can easily distract you. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Whatsapp, email, and other notifications can all deter you from the momentum developed while writing a poem and can stunt your activity.
In short, notebooks and laptops are both beneficial. You’ll want to use technology to its full advantage, but you also shouldn’t be a slave to technology— meaning that you should be able to produce on paper if technology isn’t around. Having a good balance is the best way to maximize your productivity in the writing process.
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