I'm currently arguing with my dad about this. He's taking away my Chromebook so that I can't write on it… It's making me "brain-dead," Any arguments that I can use against him?
I have a 54 page Voltron fanfiction on Google Docs…
My argument: I need to go back and reference things! I can't just write blindly and ignore various plotholes… Plus, typing is so much easier! If I have to delete entire sections of my work, I can just press backspace, then restore it if I wanted to. On paper and pencil, I have to erase it, and write it back in if I wanted to! AND I have to transfer the pages I wrote into typed words, which takes up unnecessary time!
His argument: That didn't stop Mark Twain and Homer from writing. THEY used paper and write famous works. And you should just write, then type it. (He ignored the part about wasting time.)
Tell him that you're able to get your thoughts down much faster and coherently on your chromebook than on paper. I know my wrists get tired after writing about a page worth by hand, while I can type for hours and never get tired. Tell him that since you haven't gotten accustomed to writing with pencil and paper, it's significantly harder for you than it was for Mark Twain and Homer. Tell him about the 54 pages of writing and how impossible it would be to transcribe all of that and then continue to write. That'd take up so much paper. Think of the environment! Also…hm…okay, I'm out of ideas lol
Tell him that you're not Mark Twain and that Famous writers actually use the computer to help them edit.
Spelling and grammar checks
okay so like
it's so much harder to go back and edit
I would not want to do my entire trilogy on paper, esp since I have access to google drive
but here's what I do:
I do a ton of brainstorming/scene gists on paper. I have this big novel planning thing going, and I'm doing a ton of it in an actual notebook bc it's better for your brain to be on paper (it boosts creativity)
so maybe while you're grounded do a whole lotta brainstorming? and put it all to screen/typing later. This will prob actually help improve the quality of your work bc you get two drafts for the price of (typing) one. When I rewrite/do serious new drafts, I literally have the old draft on half my screen, and a blank doc on the other side, and I retype the entire thing bc it lets you deep edit.
(also I'm not saying your dad is justified in taking away your chromebook, I get your anger)
So if you can't avoid it… maybe look at this all as an opportunity to improve as a writer? plus when you get it back you will appreciate it so much more.
also sorry one last thing
when doing scenes on paper you don't have to do every little bit. I just did dialogue between my two characters
A: blah blah blah
B: blah blah blah blah
A: blah blah blah blah
etc
so you can do that which saves time and energy while writing and then type it up later with dialogue tags and actions incorporated and all that jazz.
And don't erase- cross out with a single line. then you don't really lose anything and if you want it back just make a note in the margin of your paper saying "use this, it's ok"
okay so like
it's so much harder to go back and edit
I would not want to do my entire trilogy on paper, esp since I have access to google drive
but here's what I do:
I do a ton of brainstorming/scene gists on paper. I have this big novel planning thing going, and I'm doing a ton of it in an actual notebook bc it's better for your brain to be on paper (it boosts creativity)
so maybe while you're grounded do a whole lotta brainstorming? and put it all to screen/typing later. This will prob actually help improve the quality of your work bc you get two drafts for the price of (typing) one. When I rewrite/do serious new drafts, I literally have the old draft on half my screen, and a blank doc on the other side, and I retype the entire thing bc it lets you deep edit.
(also I'm not saying your dad is justified in taking away your chromebook, I get your anger)
So if you can't avoid it… maybe look at this all as an opportunity to improve as a writer? plus when you get it back you will appreciate it so much more.
also sorry one last thing
when doing scenes on paper you don't have to do every little bit. I just did dialogue between my two characters
A: blah blah blah
B: blah blah blah blah
A: blah blah blah blah
etc
so you can do that which saves time and energy while writing and then type it up later with dialogue tags and actions incorporated and all that jazz.
And don't erase- cross out with a single line. then you don't really lose anything and if you want it back just make a note in the margin of your paper saying "use this, it's ok"
Cool, thanks for the advice! And that applies to everyone as well!
Now a days schools use typed up papers instead of using writing out papers. Even the school system finds it easier to type it out.
Now a days schools use typed up papers instead of using writing out papers. Even the school system finds it easier to type it out.
not all schools?
and if you do any official AP/IB tests they're all paper essays
Typing is reserved for final products, that we have a lot of time to work on most of the time at all the schools I've been to- but tests/one day exams are on paper.
I would treat this the same way- paper is a v v v rough draft, but you don't spend time refining it until you sit down at the computer and have the power to type and edit effortlessly
also I swear I'm not on your dad's side I feel like what I'm saying is v paper/pencil-pro but I like paper/pencil? I want you to have your chromebook!!
I just also want to help you not suffer too much while you don't have it and I don't want you to waste work/feel like you're wasting work
Arguably, as times are changing, being able to type fast is a more significant skill that potential employers etc. are looking for. By taking away your Chromebook, your father is preventing you from practicing skills that are important in today's digitalised society.
Mark Twain and Homer lived in an entirely different context which means that's not really the strongest argument. They used the medium which was most convenient for them, but if they'd had a Chromebook available, odds are they would have gone for that too.
idk though
