#typewriter quest

✎ using the typewriter requires more preparation than just taking out my laptop or jotting down notes on my phone. I need to take it down from the high shelf (safekeeping from my adventurous toddler), clear space on the table, adjust the paper feed and re-align the type bar. This has turned into something of a ritual, so I'm already in a writing mindspace by the time I'm able to type the first words.

✎ the whole set-up thing also makes it less convenient, which actually seems beneficial for now. I haven't had many opportunities to use it, so each time feels like a treat and makes me extra conscious of not wasting any time.

✎ I typed up one page verbatim on my laptop just out of curosity, and it was 430 words, which isn't far off a full page in 12 pt Times New Roman 1.5 line space. But even while typing up that one page, I felt the urge to edit and add stuff and I'd also written notes in the margins that will be part of the second draft. It also took me like 5 minutes to type up the whole page on my laptop, so I'm not really worried about the extra step of going from analog to digital.

✎ I'm obviously a much slower typer on a typewriter than on a regular keyboard. But since I'm not overthinking everything, I'm still making more progress. I'm averaging 1-2 pages each "session" (thirty minutes to an hour, maybe?) and I'm really able to focus on just getting the story down because I know I can make it good in the inevitable second draft.

✎ the inevitable second draft also makes it so much easier to ignore typos, messy formatting, and even repeat words and phrases. Also since the writing itself requires so much focus, I'm not rereading everything over and over so, again, it's easier to make progress this way.

✎ I'm trying to remember to mark and date every finished page, while also snapping a picture with my phone. Trying to locate the hole punch so I can start putting the pages into a folder.

So, how does it feel to write on the machine?

Very fancy ❤️

Well, I spent some time on YouTube tutorials looking up how to even insert the paper. It’s a very well used typewriter apparently. It’s also missing the top cover, so I had to go by serial number to even figure out what brand and type of machine it was.

But I figured it out by trial and error. There’s one button left that I can’t make out if it’s broken or needs like a second action to work, but I’ll look at it more tomorrow.

As for the writing, it’s as expected very hard. Literally because the legibility of the letters depends on you really punching that key down. I didn’t get the chance to write «for real» because I had a fussy baby on my lap, but I’m curious how much I’m gonna skip proper formatting (indented paragraphs, quotation marks, etc.) because of convenience or if I get used to it. Even starting a new line is a really conscious decision because you have to use that lever thingy and push the slider back to the right.

Do you mind me asking what you had to show to "convince" her for the book (maybe) deal? Like did you have an outline, a few chapters, maybe scenes that are later in the book, etc? Did she give pointers?

Also how is it going with the typing machine? 👀👀👀 Do you plan on writing your first draft on it?

Thank you!

Okay, so this whole thing started when I applied to a writing school hosted by one of the biggest publishing houses in my country and I submitted 15 pages of my writing for the application. I didn't make the cut there, but someone on the panel sent those 15 pages to an editor in the kids and youth department since I had submitted the start of a YA novel and she loved it so much she reached out.

She wanted to meet right away "just to talk", but also read more if I had written anything so I sent her the next 15 pages I had written for that novel and a synopsis that detailed the big twist and the planned ending, just to show that I had a direction for it.

And to be clear, there is no deal or even a promise that this will definitely get published if I finish it. I guess you could say it's implied, but I was not expecting anything solid and we didn't even touch upon that during the meeting. But I got feedback that they really love the concept, what I have so far, and the direction that I'm planning to take it--which is really encouraging to hear from someone who publish books for a living and definitely more than most writers get as publishers tend to only want completed manuscripts.

Then she asked me how long I thought I would need to finish the novel, we agreed on a short-ish deadline just so I have something to work toward and that we'd have a meeting around that time to assess progress no matter how far I get. And if I happen to visit the capital city before that she wanted to meet in person to get to know me better. And she really pressed how much she loved it so far and wants me to finish the novel, so I'm trying my best to take this as a win, I guess?

Anyway, the pointers were mostly for the opening chapters and how to navigate the niche subject for those who aren't familiar with it. And I also got to ask a bunch of technical questions about publishing and the process, which was really interesting. Like, they estimate a full year between a completed manuscript and publishing, and most novels go through 6-7 rounds of editing after the writer submits what they consider a polished script.

Also, yeah, I've written a bunch on the typewriter already! I'm not sure I'll write the entire first draft on it, but it's a really great tool to get unstuck because there's no backspace and I just have to keep on writing. (Also it's super motivating and immersive and I loooove taking a completed page out of the typewriter and then watching the pages stack up next to me). For now, my method is that I finish a scene/chapter, make notes in the margins, and then type it up on my computer. 10 pages from the typewriter typically turns into 15 pages when I get it typed up including the notes.

✎ my typing speed is still pretty fast, but since there’s no delete button, I can’t go my normal speed which usually involve a lot of typos. And sometimes I start a sentence wrong and I’m left with either striking it out and starting anew or finish it the way I wanted and hope I’ll remember what I meant later. There might be better options that I’ll figure out another day.

✎ I thought I would be more mindful of what I write because it requires more effort, but I’m actually less concerned with what I write because I know this will need to go through at least one round of processing to get it digitalized. This is what I’ve been unable to convince myself when writing a first draft on my laptop, but the imperfection of the typewriter text makes it easier.

✎ this might be a novelty thing because it’s new and exciting, but I didn’t check my phone once for the entire time I had to write. If I left it charging in another room, I think I’d be able to really get lost in the writing like I can when I write by hand (but typewriting is both faster and more legible.) The noise also makes it really immersive, so in that way it’s mindful writing.

✎ I need to be careful where I place my drink because the carriage thingie moves with enough force to knock it over when I type.

That's what I'm hoping for! I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for it being a lot harder to push the keys, and A LOT louder.