

Ask HN: How often do you write things by hand? - ansgri

Dear colleagues,<p>Recently I found myself practicing handwriting skills in different fonts (helps bringing mind in order), and wondered how often do successful, high-qualified professionals write things by hand? Especially things for other people, where skill is important.<p>Could you please share your experiences?
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helen842000
I don't know if I count as a highly-qualified professional, however I find
writing essential to my organisation skills, efficiency and integral to the
ideas & value I bring to a team. As for how often, without a doubt several
pages every day.

I found this in University where I combined CS with a minor in English. I was
told by the administration that I was the first person to choose that
combination in the history of the University. I thought that was strange -
language, syntax & communication at the core of both subjects, right?

When writing my weekly paper on the latest assigned text I would always start
with paper, while my classmates would always start with a blank page in a word
processor.

They often complained of lack of creativity or 'writers block' \- where I
suggested they were going wrong is that they were expecting their ideas to
come in an ordered fashion - when they never do. You have a great idea for a
closing statement and you're going to hold it in mind until you're ready to
type it?!

For me, paper allows me to gain clearer focus. Handwriting can flow
effortlessly between text & sketches. I bullet point out every idea that comes
to mind. Now I have improved focus as I'm no longer using brain power keeping
those ideas at the forefront of my mind. I then review the bullet points and
start to identify which ones naturally follow on from the one before, which
are on the same topic & which are conflicting ideas. From that process I
derive new ideas. Gaps in my thinking become obvious as I start to assemble an
order.

This is all impossible within the confines of a .txt file.

This method later helped me in exams where for the first 15 minutes I wouldn't
even touch the question paper. I would just write down everything that I was
worried I would forget on the first page of my answer book. Formulas, dates,
names, mnemonics, quotes etc. I would then read through the questions and
refer back to my first page as needed. It felt almost too easy, like I had
taken the answers in there with me. At the end I'd just cross that first page
out and write DRAFT at the top.

These techniques have followed through into my work. Presentations to
executives, important technical documents with step-by-step user guides,
e-mail updates explaining progress, apps, websites, even blog posts - all
start on paper and are only moved to digital when it's time to put live and
share.

For me - paper is the planning tool, printed word is the presentation method.

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munimkazia
I wouldn't call myself successful yet, but I had mostly stopped writing stuff
by hand. I started working in a new place a few months ago. This new job
involves a lot of planning and meetings, which requires note taking. I noticed
how bad my handwriting has become. I wouldn't trust my handwriting for leaving
notes for others.

