Creating a writing ritual that works for you
OR - How I learned to stop typing and picked up a Blackwing pencil.
Typing Vs. Writing
I have to use computers so much in the writing process that sometimes I forget how important it is to unplug and just focus on the act of writing. After being at the computer all day, I started dreading sitting down and working on outlines, scripts, and revisions.
I don’t like that feeling.
Working on a script or story is something that I dream about all day. And if the tool is getting in the way of that, something needs to change. I needed a change. So I started writing on paper again. First, it was notebooks, then it evolved into legal pads, and soon I was feeling better about drafting and creating again.
There’s something in my brain that just clicks when it comes to outlining and writing first drafts on paper. I think it’s less precious than typing. I was always taught in school that when something was typed, it was finished. And I think that’s blended into my subconscious that when I write the first draft on my iMac or MacBook the story is mostly done. I’ve typed it up, right? It must be pretty much locked in.
But on paper, I’m not precious. I constantly draw lines from story elements or star things that I want to pump up with an emotional charge or backstory. And, after writing on legal pads for a couple of weeks, I realized there was another element that I needed to improve–the tool I was using.
I had a big cup of pens and pencils, but nothing felt great. The pens either smudged all over as my arm moved across the page (I’m a messy writer) or the pencils were dull even after I sharpened them. So, taking a page from my artist friends, I decided to invest in a quality writing tool.
Enter Blackwing Pencils.
Blackwing Pencils–Falling in Love with Writing Again
I’d heard about Blackwings before. About how the writing/drawing experience with them was on a whole different level. But the thing I really noticed was the unique shape and style. I swear I had seen them before.
And I had–in about a dozen movies and TV shows.
Aside from the visual cue, the only other thing I knew was that they were EXPENSIVE.
I want to clear the air right now, this is NOT sponsored by Blackwing. I bought my first pack on a whim last week at a bookstore and couldn’t believe that it was $30.00 for a pack of 12. And the person in me that grew up with little to no money was like “Dude, do not spend that much on pencils.”
But I wanted to see what it was like to write with a tool that was supposedly the best. To give my writing the same treatment that an artisan would.
Holy shit–I’m so glad that I did.
Writing with these pencils is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. They’re smooth, have dark lead (I bought the balanced version), and the erasers are great. I’ve never had this much fun writing with a pencil. I tried it back to back with one of the regular pencils I had in my pencil cup and it was night and day.
So how did this make me fall back in love with writing?
Returning to a Ritual
It brought me back to the ritual of writing. Of sitting down, sharpening a pencil, and pouring a cup of hot coffee or tea before I spill all my ideas onto the page. Adding the physical step of writing with a pencil before typing it up at the end of the day or the next morning has made me fall back in love with the writing process. I look forward to it at the end of the day again, instead of dreading the thought of sitting at a computer.
My advice to you is to find what you need to build that ritual. Whether it’s a really quality pen and pencil, a brand new notebook, or, if you lean the other way, a change in your writing program or software.
Because, honestly, I can’t wait to sit down with my Blackwing pencil and outline the next issue of the comic book I’m writing.
Thanks for reading, and happy writing!
Kenny Porter
Love how these pencils connected back into joy and fun with writing!!