Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes

I can’t imagine attempting to complete an entire first draft, sixty to a hundred thousand words, by hand. I feel a cramp developing just thinking about it. Then there is my speed, which I would need to slow dramatically to make it legible. I have combined printing with cursive, creating my unique format, which allows me to read my thoughts later.

The joy of using the keyboard is in my proficiency. With touch-typing skills, my fingers fly at a pace fast enough for me to transcribe the concepts pouring from my head. Thankfully, my laptop is portable, and I can drag it from my desk to my oversized leather chair positions next to the wood-burning fireplace.

However, I refuse to move one exercise to a digital format. Filling in my calendar is a manual process. Every Sunday, I sit with my planner and record each assignment, schedule my writing sessions…