Longhand Wrangler

Isn't it awful?

Here’s the thing, I have the worst handwriting on the planet. Now, perhaps you are wondering why, in this day and age of computers, Iphones, Ipads etc. does my handwriting even matter. And while, yes, I write my books on technology, usually a combo pack of Word for Mac, Iphone, Evernote for Ipad etc. But every so often, particularly when I begin a new story I write longhand, on a yellow legal pad with a black ink (always black there is no other color with which to write) gel pen. I’m not entirely sure why I do this except that for some reason I think there is a volatile, emotional, wildy electric connection between the head, the heart and my hand that brings a story alive, gives a new character solidity, even more so than seeing her emerge on the computer screen, and my brain moves very quick (quickly?).

The trouble is, I have terrible, terrible handwriting. As you can see in the image above. And it is so frustrating because I write sometimes amazing wonderful sweet, beautiful inspired words but when I go to read it back or type it into Word, I can’t read my own words! Argggghh.
I think I’m hopeless. I try. I really try to write neat (neatly?) but I just can’t. I never had good penmanship. Drove my teachers insane. “Joyce,” they would shout. “What does this say?” I’d usually shake my head. “I don’t remember.” This did of course lead to many not so great grades.

But somehow, I do manage to get my books written, by lots of longhand wrangling,  but sadly there have been times when I write something longhand that I thought was totally inspired at the time that got los t in translation. And that’s sad. But thank goodness for computers, right? You’d think so, but unfortunately my typing skills are not that much better than my penmanship. It’s a wonder I get anything done.