Thoughts On Writing Styles

Since I've mostly been out of commission because of an injury to my wrist and now my hand, I've been considering what I would do if I were unable to type on my laptop. I would have a few options. Write in longhand using pencil and paper is the first and easiest option for most people. However  it has been years since I have written more than a few words in longhand. Mostly signing my name and filling out simple forms are all I do now. When I have to write a letter to someone who's not connected to electronic gadgets, I'll type it first on my laptop and print it off to mail in an envelope. In today's world I very seldom have to do this.

I used to write letters quite often not that long ago, but over the last few years I've noticed my fingers aren't as flexible as they used to be. I suspect arthritis is settling in.  Now I use my laptop or my cell phone for everything. Besides being faster, it solves most of my physical problems. However, when I had to consider my physical problems could interfere with my writing, I got very nervous and a tiny bit agitated just thinking about it. I do not think I could dictate my words for someone else to type. When I write, I am constantly editing my sentences. This may not be the best way to write fiction, but it has always worked for me. I don't lose my train of thought. I don't forget what I was going to say next. It's all in my mind and flows out as if the interruptions didn't occur.

After I injured my hand and couldn't write in longhand or type on my laptop or phone, I started wondering how I would manage to write at all. I had already decided dictating my story so someone else could type it for me would be almost impossible. I can't even imagine speaking my words into the air and not being able to see them on paper. I do know we have computer programs that can show my words on the screen as I speak them. Probably, if I had to compose in this way or else stop writing, I would eventually find a way.

Many others have.