I got a typewriter because my, eyes are extremely photo sensitive and word processor programs are very painful to look at for me. I'm enjoying it so far. I feel more inspired to write when I'm sitting in front of it.
Same here. I also have a Free right which is a digital machine that uses a paper white screen. And I use the remarkable with the type folio. The vintage typewriter is my favorite
It’s a kinesthetic experience. Keys clacking, bell ringing, carriage flying right to left, carriage return buzzing with every new line, paper moving up relentlessly. It’s the Union Pacific 4014 high-balling across the high plains from Denver to Cheyenne at 11:30 at night. And you are at the controls. Enjoy the ride!
Hermes 3000. What a beauty. The typewriter is like an oracle in Matrix. Old machine that was banned by mind-controlling devices. In polish, it's easier to answer the question "Why to use that machine for writing", because it's literally called "machine for writing". Typewriter is a machine to write. It lets you write.
Oh yes. Love the Matrix analogy. Exactly. Were humans reaching heights dangerously high with the sublime art of focus? Thanks for the thoughtful comment
There is an even more mystical element in the older machines, where you can see the inner mechanics working more. I love the Remington Noiseless and others from that era for this reason. Very transparent mechanics. The Hammond and Blickensderfer lay it all bare for all to see.
I was recently blessed with a Royal Aristocrat from a friend of mine. She received the typewriter from a friend of hers who passed away a few years ago. He was a poet and along with the typewriter, he had given her 300 pages of his poems. I've written poetry for the past 37 years and I am so honored to have such a precious gift. There's just something about it.
For me, typewriters are actually super convenient because I can write basically anywhere without having to be worried about power. This actually saved me in a class where we weren't allowed to bring computers in, so I was able to just simply type up my notes between classes (much faster than writing them manually) and have my notes with me without having to pay the outrageous fees that the other students had to pay at the school's library. Plus you can "print" out the pages and have several pages in front of you at the same time to compare much more easily than with a screen.
My refurbished 1970 Olympia SM9 is arriving today! As a writer I have experienced many of these difficulties with a computer. Using a typewriter will force me to think ahead about what I want to write since I can't just backspace and rewrite the whole sentence in an instant. If typewriters were good enough for amazing authors like Tolkien, they are good enough for me.
A year ago I invested in a second hand typewriter for the primer reason is to write. There is a nostalgic angle for me. The great writers are always with a typewriter. I find a laptop distracting. My aim is to complete all my first drafts on a type writers & then move onto a computer for additional drafts.
I love what you had to say about the typewriter experience... I think it really does work in unleashing my creativity in ways I never experienced before. Also I love the idea of just having a stack of papers on my desk, always visible and not letting me procrastinate for long. When I finish a session of writing I always enter the next page into the machine. I find myself writing a whole lot more than what I would normally. When you have a file in a folder inside your computer there is just so much stuff coming between you and the next word written - you have to open the computer, you have to open the folder and the file. Do you have enough battery? Now you need to get a charger. Oh might as well make some coffee, smoke a cigarette and once you are back it's never the same ...
Thank you for the advice, it is reassuring after I have used this typewriter instead of a computer; and I am about to embark on writing a novel with it (350 pages). It is a little sticky on some keys, and it doesn't quite hit the ribbon hard enough: should I ask for a new one for Christmas? I am but 14 years old (turning 15 in march). I have an "Olivetti Underwood Lettera 31".
bluecreeper.com/ this can loosen up the stuck keys. I don't know about asking for a new one, as there is something special in sticking with one for as long as possible. And a new ribbon an do wonders.
There's something incredibly special about using a typewriter in this day and age. Call it a relic, but a typewriter, for me, is a portal to the days of the likes of James Baldwin, Ernest Hemingway, and Jack Kerouac when they let their keys and ink ribbons channel their imaginations to their pages.
I’m sensitive to light and I use a computer at work and don’t like it but I use it for work but when I get home I’m looking forward to the typewriter to use instead
This is interesting. I'm considering getting a typewriter, as with my computer there are many distractions, and with writing longhand I get tired quickly. What is your process for turning a typewritten draft into a finished novel? Do you scan them into a computer and edit them there, or retype it all with the typewriter?
You really have to find a flow that works for you. For me, typing once and then retyping a second time helps. Some people retype into a computer as draft 2. Or you can photograph each page and scan it to text. Etc. Sort of depends on what you want to do with it, and your venues for release. You could release as a serial, scanning the pages and uploading typewritten images to a blog. Just a few ideas... lots of options.
I wrote my first three novels using my laptop as my primary writing tool. Then, a friend told me how much she was enjoying writing poetry on a manual typewriter. The idea piqued my curiosity, so I went out and purchased a 1961 Olympia SM7. I started using it for typing out scene ideas, character notes, outlines, etc. Soon, I found myself loving the tactile feeling of putting words on paper, and then I found a 1965 Olympia SM9. At some point, I decided that I'd write the rough draft of my fourth novel using only the two typewriters. I'd use the SM7 when I was writing at home and the SM9 when writing at the office (I'd pack my manuscript back and forth in my briefcase). I loved writing the 1st draft so much, that I went on to write the entire second draft with those same two machines. I've since finished the novel, and I discovered that I not only enjoyed the "journey" more, but I was much happier with the end product. I plan to do it this way once again for my fifth. Thanks for this encouraging video!
I agree I like retyping the draft as well it gets you out of the screen space and into a more natural environment. Though some people just want to scan it to text right away I think you then fall into the computer trap again
@@classictypewriter Wow! Thank you for those kind words! As to the novel, I've finished it, but it's not published anywhere yet. Once it is, I'll connect back with you to let you know.
@@classictypewriter That's a good point about falling into the computer trap if you jump right into scanning the second draft. I think that's true for me as well. But I do have a couple of other reasons for retyping a complete second draft using a typewriter, one being that there are so many changes between the first and second draft, that for me, its actually easier to retype the whole thing, using handwritten notes I've scribbled between paragraphs, and on the edges of the margins as guides. The second reason for me typing out more than one draft is that it allows me to keep a chronological record of the early days of the novel's development. I date the header of each new chapter, and keep the typewritten/handwritten pages in a binder. Afterward, it's helpful to know how much time I spent on each phase of the process, i.e. Outlining, character "interview," dust jacket synopsis, etc. Finally, a friend of mine who happens to be a successful novelist, once said that by keeping all the iterations of my manuscript, in such a tangible form is a powerful proof of authorship. All said, I think I'm going to continue doing it this way with future projects.
@@deancummings586 Great thoughts thank you. Yes, we look forward to reading it! Everyone has to work out their own flow, these are just tips. And every process has pros and cons of course. I just notice the joy of typewriting, and once I get into screen drudgery, that joy 'changes'. So while I appreciate the tools of the computer, are the pros worth the cost?
Yes to typewriters. I began writing in 1964 with a Sears portable. I placed a few things, but when the Commodore 64 with Easy Script arrived. Then it was on to DOS and then an iPad. I'm not sure when I realized my creativity was slipping, but I rely totally on a Hermes 3000. I write for my own pleasure.
Well said! I recently purchased a nice 1948 Smith… what a joy it is to write on a typewriter, and the real zest for writing being unlocked by the exercise
I want to thank you for this video. These last four years have seen me go away from writing for the first time in my life, and your passion for writing on the typewriter has inspired me to get back to it. I have three typewriters that I love, including the one I had in high school (Gen X here). Writing on a typewriter connects you to your writing in the most tactile and visceral way next to writing by hand there is. There really is nothing like it. I always liked a manual typewriter because it puts my writing at the tempo of a horse’s trot. Not too fast, not too slow. Flow flow flow. I really want to get back to it. Thank you again for this video. I really appreciate it.
Does the samething apply for writing on paper and notebooks? Personally i am on the fench of getting a typewriter. The one that is behind you caught my eye and i might buy it because of the size.
Hell yeah, brother. I'm refurbishing a Remington Rand that my partner got me to write my next book on. I've found that computers let me type faster than I think, and that I write fast but clunky, drop transitions, jump ahead and tell myself I can edit later. The best analogy I can come up with is going to a bar, getting drunk, picking someone up, having really awful sex, waking up, feeling shitty about it, and then doing that over and over again.
@@classictypewriter The Rand is taking a bit of time, but I have a portable Smith Corona Super Silent that I cleaned and is rolling! Replaced the ribbon, too.
im currently writing a novel, i write by hand, as it takes time to write the sentences,by as i write these sentences, a new sentence pops in my head ,thus i just keep flowing, i want to try the type writer as another level technique, just gotta find one, as a kid my mom had an antique type writer,i was allwed to play aroundwith it, i typed random stuff with it for hours
so many good points I never even considered. I've been dead set on getting a typewriter since going to college; I found out im a visual learner with bad handwriting and ADHD, so I'm easily distracted every time I use a word processor. I absolutely HAVE to have something written down to remember it, but I also need to constantly have the thing its written on within my physical view/space just to remember it even exists. So for me, getting a typewriter would be a sort of disability aid, an upgrade from the masses of sticky and iPhone notes.
Beautiful. You're not the only one in that place. A lot of humans are getting lost in the digital overwhelm, and still need the little written tidbits.
@@joaorebochooaw6321 And still most teaching styles don't address that, and the majority seem to do alright. There's degrees of necessity. I'm the type to need subtitles for live lectures and notes for simple instructions; I retain very little oral information.
Well put, thank you, glad I use a Typewriter. I use several, wish I had a Curvey Hermés. But, lately last few months been favoring my 1964 Smith Corona Galaxie Deluxe. A true friend and workhorse. I find I write better on a typewriter, the connection to the work though through a machine is both more organic and personal and connected than on or with a computer. When ready, I'll hand transfer it to the computer, this adds another level of editing and really understanding my story, the computer is last in my creativity, as I only use the computer as the Editing machine. My first, and sometimes other drafts are always on a typewriter!❤
Also what are your thoughts about making a commonplace book and using a voice recorder to take notes using your own voice from what you are reading from? Plus for capturing your thought verbally.
This sounds interesting. Is this a process that you use? I do take notes from books I'm reading, but I'm going to try to record my own voice reading it and listen back to it, especially the more profound things I'm reading.
@@ronmorey3475 I do and you know it helps you to organize thoughts better by transcribing what is important that you have said in verbal form. While helping your creative process for writing with a way for you to practice speaking better.
I do that pretty frequently. I'm not really a snob I just find that my best writing comes from typewriters. I can still write well In other forms. And dictation can help a lot. I also dictate into my notes app frequently. Sometimes I record my voice and have a software translate it into text. The challenge with it... Is that I have a hundred hours of recordings that I need to someday process.
Question here, (because I am drifting away from the mind controlling technologies) When you write your novel manuscript, it will need edited, what will be the most proficient way to your manuscript to reduce re-typing your manuscript? I don’t know so can you please lead me in the right direction? By the way, I have an Olympia De Luxe 70’s model 70’s model, I used to love it but haven’t used it in years due to life. Now, I’m more subtle these days reading more and trying to write 😂. I love your video, thank you so much for sharing. I will look at my of your videos thank you so much!
I wish there was a simple answer for this. People have to find their individual flow. It depends on how much you want to avoid the computer. For instance, some people write longhand and then type in the middle draft on typewriter, editing as they go. Some just quickly draft on the typewriter, and then re-type a more finalized draft, and probably type again a third time. Thomas Mann wrote out 1 page of finished prose per day, edited and finalized. You can also type the draft on a typewriter, and then scan the pages in a program that converts them to digital, and edit there. You could also just scan the typewritten pages and publish that as your manuscript, if self publishing; facsimile. The possibilities quite endless. Though you'll need to see what works best. I go with outlining with a pen, translating chapters to note cards, drafting on the typewriter, pen correcting first draft, re-typing second draft. Would take a third to finalize. Not there yet on my longest typewritten novel.
@@classictypewriter Thank you so much for the advice and I’m loving the way you do yours which sounds the best for me as well. I’m not scared of the work load, I feel as though it will make me be more involved with my entire process. Second goal, self-publishing. I have a long way to go but you placed me on a road to success. Thank you very very much!
@@veeisher Beautiful thank you. As for self publishing, I recommend print on demand these days. 0 bar to entry. Can test marketplace via blogs (photos of typewritten pages even), or pre-order options. Etc. Lulu or the Amazon version, though I try to support the littler companies.
One of the biggest problems with word processors is processing words 😅 its nice to really write words and sentences before ever getting to the processing stage until later on. I only primarily write with typewriter and only last edit is retyped and finished still need myself a lovely Hermes 3000 ❤
I have 4 Olivetti Lettera (32’s) , 1 Olivetti Lettera 22, 2 Hermes Rockets), 1 Olympia (SM9), 1 Olympia portable (black pearl, different font), 5 Smith Corona's, 2 Remington Noiseless (one was manufactured on December 7, 1941).... more.
For some odd reason, people come onto this forum and say 'I like computers better'. In either case, go write instead of pondering workflows and scrolling youtube. Recommended.
It's appalling!!! Just kidding. I think it can work. The challenge I've faced is that I cannot write nearly as fast as thought, a, and b, then when I do, I go back later to type it in, and I can't read a lot of it. Not to mention typing is infinitely easier when you get into higher page counts. Write 30 pages versus type 30 pages, for instance. There can be a slow deliberate handwriting which can work for some types of work. Stream of consciousness flow unlocks for me much more easily on the typewriter. I tend to handwrite outlines, notes, ideas, etc, and then type out prose.
I'm a typewriter head but I think stating that you need a typewriter to become a great writer as if it were a fact is ridiculous. That's just your opinion. The problem with the computer is that it can help you (or rather, me, your mileage may vary) develop a few bad habits when writing. I use a typewriter because the computer inevitably leads me to writing too fast and carelessly, but that's not the fault of the computer. Like the typewriter, it's just a tool, so the fault is mine. I just don't have the discipline to take my time on a computer, partially because my job involves fast typing, and sitting in front of it just gets me into that mindset out of habit. If you feel most comfortable writing on a computer and judge your work to be good, then by all means go ahead. I'm not going to think less of you as a writer because of it. Also, the part about voice dictation, that's just you using the wrong tool for the job. Voice dictation inevitably operates over a dictionary or database of words. If you're going to make up words, then you probably shouldn't be using that. Is that the fault of the voice dictation software? No. You just chose the wrong tool for the job. Likewise if I have to write and send an email with image attachments intertwined with the text, the typewriter is probably not the tool I'm looking for. I don't intend for this to sound harsh, because it's not meant to. I guess I feel I have to say something when I hear someone voicing their opinions as iron clad facts EDIT: Also beautiful Hermes. I'm more of a Smith Corona guy
You are merely replacing one opinion with another. Welcome to the world of diverse opinions meeting each other happy to meet in the middle ground and the typewriter land. For me it's a deduction based on personal experience of all of the best quality writing I'm aware of being produced on a typewriter. It also links to current studies.... Of the mind functioning at a lower level if a computer is even in the same room. So it's merely the solution to a problem. I don't think dictation is the wrong tool. I think it's just not refined enough to be useful for delving into the unconscious mind. Which is the power and beauty of the typewriter because the rhythm unlocks the unconscious impulse.
@@classictypewriter I use both dictation and the typewriter for writing. Sometimes dictation is the wrong tool for the job. When I need to explore an idea with more focus and slowly, then the typewriter is the tool needed. Dictation helps get words out quicker, but it doesn't always help with flow not with helping me realize when I've gone into a circle instead of the solution I need. Dictation is useful on days when my carpal tunnel syndrome is acting up because I don't have the strength to handwrite not type or if I need to talk out a solution and am unable to find someone willing to listen to me talk out a problem. Neither tool replaces the other. I use a Hermes Rocket, a Smith-Corona Corsair, and a Smith-Corona Portable 5 typewriter. Still mastering getting even margins on the Corsair as I type from time to time. :)
I could just lock myself in vim, and unplug the ethernet cord (my desktop does not have a wifi card). You don't inherently give up anything for convenience, but that requires actually understanding how your devices work/having respect for them (and yourself), rather than how companies like Google and Apple tell you it's 'supposed to' work (by their rules? and why should you? You bought it with the understanding that you *own* it!). Like how automobile or tech companies say the 'proper way' to use what they sell you (that you're supposed to be the *owner* of) is not for you to be allowed to repair/tinker with: - There's no reason for that (in fact in the past, this wasn't the case at all), - and there'd also be no reason to say cars/computers inherently encroach on your freedom - (they don't, these companies add in boobytraps after the fact. Buy from a company like framework laptops that lets you tinker their devices, i.e. *properly* owning them, in the sense that *most* people define 'ownership'). Last point: it's fine if you also just happen to like the aesthetic of a typewriter, but just be honest about that.
It sounds like you're already a productive writer, which us fine, link to your books. If not, you might consider something else. I have friends try to defend the ipad as the ultimate writing tool. Books completed, generally zero. It's true that you can hack a computer to make it better for writing. You can also write on a typewriter and scan pages convert to text. Or a digital astrohaus freewrite. Etc. Also, the book 'Deep Work' will offer counter arguments to most of your arguments.
I write my poems on a typewriter. Its too easy to over edit on a computer and because of backdpace, those fragments are lost for ever...thats why i use my typewriter
It's a different experience on so many levels. Not only that, few humans can resist temptation that is only a button click away. Most people just end up getting more distraction done than work. If that's not you, that's of course fine, and we'd already know your name by all of the books you've published.
@@classictypewriter Touched a nerve? My point is that one might suffer from the false impression that they have more freedom when using a typewriter, but really they are offloading their problems to yet another machine. It's like believing that you are hygienic by having a butler wipe your ass.
@@classictypewriter At first I used a pen with my reMarkable but then switched to using the reMarkable keyboard. With a pen I was instantly in flow state and highly creative. WIth the keyboard, it took longer to get into flow state but I ended up writing more. Both are good and I'll probably switch between them depending on what is required. I can take my remarkable to a cafe and not disturb people with my typing, so that's handy. I don't take my phone so I have no internet distractions.
Can we still purchase typewriter ribbons nowadays? Man, the thought of changing those ribbons again leaves me with a bad taste. I've lived long enough to have written with the manual machine (Underwood or whathaveyou), then the electric, and so forth. Frankly I believe that if someone is meant/called to write fiction then they can do it any way they like, on a laptop or PC ... or even longhand to be sent out for typing-- whatever they prefer. It does not need to be one particular venue or tool. If a person is a writer then they will create fiction, and not be distracted by other stuff on the PC or tablet. To say "You've got to write your book this way" seems weird to me.
This is ridiculous. Just because this guy has trouble focusing doesn't mean anyone else would ever need to follow his thoughts. I wrote for years on a typewriter, and sure it is great for short poetry, but bringing the breadth of a work together and the ability to look at it all at once and work on it in more ways then back and forth on a piece of paper is something magical that a typewriter could never do. If you have trouble focusing or sticking to your writing plan, this could be a good idea though.
A writer writes regardless of the tools available. Been wring professionally for almost 50 years. Started out with pen and paper, then typewriters and then computers. Just a normal progression to take advantage of new technology as it appears.
Somewhat. 'Normal' now though is to eat fast food and spend hours on tik tok. We need to eschew normal for high-performance. Compare your typewriter to computer writing and see if there's a difference.
