The first draft of this article was written with a mechanical pencil in a small Moleskine notepad.  This was not because of elitism or necessity, but just the simple curiosity born from the mind an aging “wannabe” writer. I want to see what (if anything) seems different when it finally ends up in your feed-reader.

When I paint, the results are more satisfying when sketches are drawn out by hand first.  When I design, a sketchbook can allow me to work out thoughts and problems before a single pixel is pushed.  And when attending a training session or meeting, paper notes feel more natural to the flow and timing of what is being said.  Perhaps (I wonder to myself), could blogging also benefit from this analog exercise?

We use computers because they are convenient.  Because they allow us to do the things we want faster than ever. However, I suspect that having the ability to do things faster doesn’t always equate to doing them better.  Think of what the microwave oven has done for our lives, yet we still don’t use it for everything cooking-related.

Try this experiment for yourself (or for me, if you’re willing to share the results):
Write your next blog article’s draft out by hand, on real paper.  Take your time and let your hands transcribe your thoughts at a more natural pace.  Then consider whether this change in speed altered your own value of the work.  If it feels like it’s worth more to you, then doesn’t it stand to reason that your audience will pick up on (and gain from) that increased value?