What if we used typewriters?

[Claire Young]

Wow, it's hard to even read about using a typewriter. Hooray for that delete button.

I save everything on a flash drive. Absolutely!

The novel I'm re-writing was so excruciatingly bad, maybe anything I write seems good now.

[Jena Grace]

The novel I'm re-writing was so excruciatingly bad, maybe anything I write seems good now.

If you can recognize when your writing is bad, you're definitely a step ahead of a whoooole lot of other people.

[Claire Young]

If you can recognize when your writing is bad, you're definitely a step ahead of a whoooole lot of other people.

That made me smile!

See?

[Jena Grace]

And for really special occasions:

[Claire Young]

That made me laugh!

[leslee]

I need a new keyboard. The letters have rubbed off and the keys stick. Luckily, new keyboards are not very expensive.

[Jena Grace]

Last time I had a keyboard replaced, they put on a European one!

[Allison McClish]

I've never actually had to use a typewriter. I'm young enough that I think it would be fun for posterity's sake. Even on the computer, though, I have several copies of my stories. When I get ready to go through and change stuff, I'll make a copy and call that version 2, or 3, or whatever. It is fun going back sometimes and seeing how the characters and story have changed. I have quite a bit printed out, too, because I almost prefer to go through my story with it in my hands, where I can actually read it without the computer screen.

[Susan B]

I had several typewriters when I was younger, and I loved them. Wouldn't want to use one now though- I'm a gadget girl.

I remember typing a story one Christmas. When it was complete I made a cover a glued it on- and super-glued my fingers together. I ended up in A+E...and then ended up working in that A+E years later as a student. Fortunately no-one recognised me!

As for your second question, I don't feel at all good with what I initially write, simply because I'm always comparing it to published works (bad, I know). When I complete the final draft and call it a day, however, I do like to go back through it and marvel at the obvious stranger who came up with this ingenious story...

Haha, I do that too. I love it when you read back weeks later and think, 'this is not as terrible as I thought'.

[Herman Munster]

The first thing of note, Claire, is that, you like others, refer to 'my novel'. I can't relate to this. I started writing in November 08. I have just completed book 21. I have 49 started and the balance are anywhere are to half finished but I have run out of steam with them.

They are in a series which I suspect helps since when you are at book 10 or so, you expect the reader to know something, if not everything, of your characters.
So I accept the prolific label. I may alos accept that with volume may lack some literary quality but that doesn't bother me. IF all my books are published and in reasonably short order, then I think my audience will be less than literary geniuses and more of the bulk consumer kind. I doubt that is a harsh critique of them, but I don't expect to be remembered in history as Dickens and others are.

I could probably use a typewriter since I do write from RAM if you like. As it occurs to me, it goes in. That may lead to an idea that should've been said before or a sentence or detail that needs to be inserted but as others explain further down, I can see inserting references to lines or pages would work.

The editor would have a tough job, possibly having to retype as a function of editing but then that is more or less after I finish. I know I am not a literary genius and the editor of my first work tried to educate me but I explained that 90% of the rules they gave me I never understood.

Your last point Claire, that scares me. I put it down to having written so many words, as in 20 books but when I am reading it through I do get lost in the way this guy writes, and I wonder if it is just him and me who write this way. I do like his turn of phrase and also that super subtle sense of humour. This guy writes what I like to read!