Writing with Typewriters

I use one and no, I am not 90 years old.

The Smith Corona Electra 12, my weapon of choice.

Eight hours a day, sitting at a computer in an office and staring at two glaring bright screens. My eyes ached, my pulse pounded in my temples and by the end of the day I literally run out the door and spend up to two hours in the gym just to not look at a screen. Screens are everywhere now. In your pocket. In your living room. In your kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, even the back porch. 

I want to research and write when I get home, but the thought of looking at the screen makes me want to play in traffic with a blindfold on. I said as much to my girlfriend and her mom one day in casual conversation. I completely forgot that I even mentioned it, but when my birthday came around that year I was presented with an unexpected gift. Little did I realize how it would change my writing process.

When I was a lad, back in the old country...of Pennsylvania...my grandma got my sister and I typewriters. At the time, I did not realize the real value of the gift and I regret that to this day. My grandma was preparing us for the future, she knew we would need to know how to type. 

My sister's typewriter was an electric job with a backspace key and all that more modern stuff we take for granted on our computer keyboards and word processing software. I don't remember the brand. 

My typewriter was an old-fashioned electric assisted model with a green chassis. That is more or less what I remember of it other than abusing it. I was young and did not know any better. My grandma was a badass, forward-thinking woman and I appreciate all she did for us. These feelings came flooding back when I got my new (to me) typewriter. I knew it was meant to be.

The Smith Corona Electra 12 was one of the first "portable" electric typewriters. My particular model is from the late 1950's or early 1960's, possibly 1959. This piece was a thrift store treasure and only cost $10! Unfortunately, it did not still have carrying case and I had to do a few minor repairs, but in good condition this model can sell for several hundred dollars. I found my model on Etsy for $395. 

There are still several online sources for new ink ribbons and spools as well as parts, which is amazing considering how outdated the technology is. Do yourself a favor though and get a typewriter pad for that time of the month...I mean writing time. 

Sicko. 

Typewriter pads are usually just thick felt pads that keep it from sliding around and dampen the noise. 

Seriously, the rubber feet on the typewriter are probably dry rotted, hard, or missing so when you are typing the unit will just vibrate/bounce its way across the surface of your desk. It can also be loud as the motor vibrations and key strikes reverberate through the wood and hollowness of the desk drawers. 

My personal Smith Corona Electra 12. Ain't she a beauty!

There is just something special and magical about typing away on a typewriter keyboard. The rhythmic hum of the motor and the metallic click of the keys striking the roller just transport you back to another time in literature. Good lord I'm getting so sappy over this shit, but it's true. 

Somethings just do that to me. 

Not only do you get the nostalgia factor from a typewriter, but you also get away from the screen. I suggest placing the unit by a blank wall or a window if you don't think you will get distracted by cats or some shit.

*Types a single sentence on the keyboard then looks up and out the window. "Oh, look at the cats! Yay! I'm stupid!"

Just kidding. I like cats.

If you manage to shut your phone off and stop looking at pictures of people shitty cooking, then the typewriter offers fewer distractions than modern means of writing (unless you have massive wrist strength and handwrite everything. In which case we all know what you've been doing). You have to actually think about every word before you type. There is no delete key unless you slap some white out on there. Don't sniff that shit. Just don't do it.

When I tried to write my first book project on my computer I would constantly go back and try to edit. I would re-write and change word order in sentences, nothing ever sounded right. Every time I wanted to write something new and continue the story I would not because I would be obsessing over every detail on the little, I had managed to write before. It was no way to progress and is not the way to write a novel. Or anything.

The typewriter solves some of these issues. It makes you think, but it also allows you to just write.

Just get words out. 

Your first draft is going to be shit anyhow, I mean nasty hot dog shit, but just get the foundation down and build on it. Keep a notepad nearby and write notes for things you want to change after you upload to your PC. I'll have more on first drafts in a future post as well as writing with an outline or by the seat of your pants.

My typewriter draft is a hybrid of outlining and writing from the seat of my pants. I know generally what I want to happen in each scene and chapter, so I type it. Just get it the fuck out of my brain like it was on fire. Its messy. It lacks details. Scenes are out of order. Character POV's are missing or have not been added in yet. It lacks prose. The adjectives repeat. All the character smile, they don't grin, they don't beam, smirk, simper...you get the picture. This can be fixed in draft 2. 

It is essentially laying all of the puzzle pieces out on the table and arranging them by piece type. This one goes on the edge, this one in the middle, etc. 

Typewriters, once you get used to them, making writing a draft easier in that you don't go back and dwell on what you wrote. You won't be able to edit anyhow, so don't even try. 

My latest novel attempt was written entirely on the typewriter then scanned to word docs for editing and for the next draft. Scanning typewritten pages is easy, but Word has trouble interpreting some of the punctuation, letters, and your typing mistakes. My "h" on the typewriter often becomes a "b" on Word.

You will see.

My only problem with using the typewriter is the environmental impact of using paper. Look for paper with the highest possible amount of recycled content that will still show ink. I am not an environmentalist hippie, but I do love nature and I don't want to lose it. 

You probably won't use your typewriter for anything other than the first draft or maybe some free writing, but it is entirely worth it and forms another awesome and nostalgic tool in a writer's toolbox.  

My typewriter really saved my writers ass. If I had kept going the way I was then I would never have written anything more on any of my projects. The freedom of typewriter opened up a whole new Avenue for me to circumnavigate my own hang-ups, some might call them excuses, on writing.

Plus, my Smith Corona sits on a desk in my living room, right across from the couch from where I play video games and watch tv. If I am not typing then I can feel the typewriter's accusatory stare burning into my soul, guilting me into doing what I should be doing with me free time as a wannabe write. Writing.