I love writing. Not only the art of stringing words together to make an argument or to tell a story, but also the actual, physical act of moving a pen across a piece of paper. I delight in the smell of paper and ink, the skritch and shshshhh of pen and hand scooting across a page… I adore it all. So much so that I am known as a compulsive purchaser of spiral-bound notebooks and blue ink, medium point, crystal Bic brand pens, simply because the mere thought of using them together has a soporific effect on me.

For this reason, I always write all of my first drafts and edit my second drafts by hand. Yes, even my novels. It’s not uncommon for me to write out several versions of a particularly tough scene, using each iteration to help me move closer to discovering and repairing whatever it is that’s just. not. working. I feel that the act of writing by hand focuses my thoughts, sparks my state of “flow”.

Apparently, this is true for others, as well. Use the question “How does writing by hand stimulate creativity?” as a Google search term and you will find twenty websites that offer a direct answer. Many of them refer to a 2012 study of pre-literate children “cited in the Wall Street Journal [which] indicated that children who had received handwriting instruction had neural activity that was ‘far more enhanced and “adult-like” than those who had simply looked at the letters’” (1). So those children who drew the letters rather than simply looking at them (as on a keyboard) demonstrated more enhanced neural activity. The reason for this, as per the articles, is because “neuroscientific research has uncovered a distinct neural pathway that is only activated when we physically draw out our letters” (2).

What does this have to do with creativity, inspiration, and/or getting unstuck? To find the connection, consider calligraphy, an art form that is popular because it is deeply meditative as well as visually appealing. Apparently, handwriting is used as a form of meditation by many because, according to a study conducted by Michel L. Slepian and Nalini Ambady “fluid arm movements increased creativity (described as ‘fluid thought’)” and “It’s certainly possible that the fluid movements of handwriting could have a similar effect” (3). While this cannot be scientifically proven because creativity cannot be quantified, the implication is that writing by hand can actually help stimulate creativity.

While this may sound good to some, others argue that the benefit is outweighed by the drawback that writing by hand is so much slower than typing. As it turns out, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. According to studies, “spending more time on each letter and word gives the brain more of a chance to process the ideas that are being recorded. Creative ideas take time to emerge, and giving them those extra few seconds can make a big difference (3). Even the reduced speed of handwriting can be beneficial if the quality of what is produced is greater than the quantity.

Again, none of this is guaranteed. Not only can the connection between creativity and handwriting not be quantified, but there’s also the fact that everyone’s creative process is different. Still, if you’re working at your computer and you find yourself stuck in a scene or wallowing in a creative rut, perhaps stepping away from the keyboard and running a pen across paper may facilitate the spark of an idea.

I’m curious to know: do you create your initial drafts with pen on paper, or do you compose at the keyboard? Please weigh in below, commenting on which method you prefer and why.

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Sources Cited:

(1) Olson, Nancy. “Three Ways That Handwriting With A Pen Positively Affects Your Brain”. Forbes, 15 May 2016. Forbes.com, 2018.

(2) Aguirre, Claudia. “Does writing by hand sharpen your creativity”. Headspace.com, 23 Sept. 2015, Headspace Inc.

(3) Albright, Dann. “How Handwriting Improves Your Creative Skills”. MakeUseOf.com, 10 Nov. 2016.