Handwriting vs Typing: The Showdown
5 Reason you should ditch your keyboard and start hand-writing!
As information technology starts entering our everyday lives more and more, and as information workers like myself start working more and more on keyboards instead of writing on paper. Are there any benefits left to handwriting?
I decided to conduct an experiment, where I would spend some time handwriting on a notepad instead of the usual clattering hum of typing on the keyboard.
Now, keep in mind that I use my keyboard to do a majority of my writing and correspondences with my circle of colleagues, family, and friends. Everything from email to instant messaging - even sending a text message on my cellphone involves dealing with some form of digital input or another.
Has the keyboard taken over my main means of written communication? Has the pen gone extinct? Has the keyboard mightier than the sword?
Here are some observations:
1. The Right Method
Writing with a pen allowed me to do a lot (Thanks Guys 
) more than just write across a page in neat and ordered way. It allowed me to draw little diagrams and pictures to help get a point across. By using drawings and doodles, you can allow your mind to tap into your right-side of the brain. This is the side of your brain where creativity and conceptual thinking exists - by tapping into this side of the brain, it allowed me to doodle down some great ideas for several projects I was working on.
2. Unstoppable
Writing does not require electricity. Just a comfortable working location, some good lighting, and reference materials. Plenty of great writing has come about from anywhere from bedrooms to transatlantic flights. Notepads don't suffer from computer viruses, crash, or irritating pop-up ads from websites. You can write anytime as well. No need to boot up a computer. Just make sure your pencils are sharp or your pens are full and you should be all good!
3. The Inner Editor
Writing by hand allows you to spend more time on your words. Unlike typing, which allows you to get it down before you forget it (which has it's benefits), handwriting can be more concise and far more elegant with the right practice (no pun intended!)
4. Awareness
When I turned off my beloved Macbook and started this experiment, I noticed that the computer's drone was inhibiting allot of subtle noises in the background. This was not only calming, but added some inspiration to my project as well! There was also no distractions from instant messages or new email notifications. It was just me, my notepad and pen, and my thoughts.
5. Personality
Writing by hand also adds a personal touch to your material. It's a lovely feeling to receive a hand-written letter from a friend of a loved-one. Somehow, hand-writing's effort seems to directly translate to the words on the page, and can be much more warm and appreciated than a dry email.
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If your looking for more exercises for your right-side of the mind, check out Burt Goldman's talk on how he learnt photography (and ended up in the International Photography Hall of Fame!)
November 14th, 2007 at 9:00 am
I've been unconsciously conflicted about this very issue for the last two weeks! I've been "toggling" back and forth between MacBook and journal, wondering why I can't just streamline the process by doing everything on the computer. But for some reason, my "gut" is telling me there is something very powerful about my handwritten musings. I just cannot disregard that for whatever reason that journaling seems to be a direct link to my Higher Self.
November 16th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
fine! i agree with all said, but what if you can't use your hands? (eg. i type with my head, cannot speak either - my pc is my only means of intermediate bidirectional communication with the rest of the world (outside of my home))... i surely take care to personalize my e-mails, actually - *everything* i type (write) and i guess that we, hand-disabled folks, must meditate a bit prior to writing (typing) anything of some importance, in order to tap the right side of brain! or even better: train ourselves to go into alpha state (see silva, goldman) right before wri-typing...
November 18th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Good article. Under "The Right Method" you wrote allot, when you need to write " a lot".
November 20th, 2007 at 11:42 pm
Being visual, it's easier to think when not in front of a computer screen. Also, when hand writing, I can concentrate more on content than formatting. That' why I prefer to write my draft by hand.
November 21st, 2007 at 12:37 pm
If you are going to write, no matter the method, learn to spell! "Allot" instead of "a lot" for God's sake?
November 22nd, 2007 at 1:53 am
I come from an academic era when there was very little if any computers. As a result, I have a bad case of writer's cramp.
Of course, I don't allow this from stopping me from writing in my personal journal. I do most of my work on the PC, but I allow my writings and drawings in my personal journal to inspire me.
In fact, my most important notes, drawings, and calculations are in writing. Why? It's not only important to my work - that writing is a true expression of who I am, how I feel, and what I'm thinking at any particular moment. Even when I don't actually write a thought, the way I write it down says "a lot." (Are you proud of me, Don?)
According to Stewart Swerdlow, stressors and tensors on certain letters of the alphabet express our inner personalities.
December 9th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
I am of the "before computer" generation; as I progressed academically through technical training on to masters and post-grad levels, I gradually transitioned into writing through my computer. One habit I have never broken though is to have my notebook always with me (my laptop most of the time). It has been only in the last year or so that I began to realize how much more creative I can be writing by hand in my notebook, by just letting the words and ideas flow, and then organizing by computer.
January 8th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Writing V Typing seems to say either/or. For me they are complementary. It would be difficult to write a reply to your article and my writing is so bad, you couldn't read it if I did. But, writing notes or diagrams on a piece of paper, is still essential for me. It comes down to horses for courses.
When I am thinking through a problem or using any mind training technique a computer simply gets in the way of the process. When you can't or don't want to use a computer such as when you are in the country, on the beach or traveling, then you need some other way.
However, when producing an important report, it is essential to me, to use word processing, even at the planning stage (or outline stage as M/S Word calls it).
We should use the most appropriate tool for the job. The computer is very important to me, but making handwritten notes or letters is also essential some of the time. And I don't forget the best tool of all - my brain. Taking time out just to think around the problem or relax works wonders.
August 25th, 2008 at 3:31 am
[...] Writing your ideas down by hand is different than typing them in on your [...]
February 15th, 2011 at 3:04 am
Although the creative process is much more involved when you physically write, there is a point that might well have profound consequences for the majority of those who are trained on and become simplified to the email, text, tweet, etc. form of communication. That point is the ability to think. A problem or idea that needs more than a few seconds time to evaluate is avoided when ever possible by the majority of individuals I interact with. The ability to look at data and think about its meaning or to consider if there are any cause and effect relationships simply takes too long. Take a bit of time and watch a group of young people. Often, when they don't receive an input every few moments from their phone or computer you cant help but notice many of the individuals begin to have trouble paying attention to their surroundings. They will often initiate a message to ease the "tension. What does this mean to those of you who wish to communicate for a living?
I believe that both forms of communication, written as well as digital, are critical to the future of our society. We all have our preferences and there are huge benefits to sharing typed material but we need to insure there is an intelligent mind on the other end of the thoughts we wish to share.