Handwriting Vs Typing: The Beauty In-between

The dependence on technology has played a dominant role in all of our lives. In this modern age of brilliant gadgets and groundbreaking technological advancements, we have taken to new habits and trends as we move ahead with the times.

Getting to the question on everyone’s mind – Will the electronic keyboard replace the old world charm of pen and paper?

Did you know that we tend to type more frequently than writing by hand? From sending emails and creating documents online to personal shopping lists and surfing the waves of the internet, typing has become almost a natural part of day to day affairs.

And yet, the influence of a standard 0.7mm ball pen still reigns supreme! From corporates to students in almost every aspect of life, people prefer penning down their thoughts and making last minute notes on paper.

So is the pen mightier than the keyboard?

Let’s first see what both are all about.

Features that Contribute to the Necessity of a Pen

Greater scope of expression:

Writing with a waterproof gel pen is nothing less than a seamless affair where we represent our ideas and feelings without much effort. The easy movement of the body combined with the masterful strokes of the nib creates a highly personalized way of perceiving and storing information. Hence, handwriting succeeds in forming a deep connection between the writer and the medium.

Emphasis on graphic freedom:

Rather than being confined to a digital yet restricted canvas, handwritten content with popular roller pens in India paves the way for greater flexibility and freedom. Whether making footnotes in the margins or short notes here and there, sketches, notes and scribbles, the entire paper becomes a creative backyard for those that prefer the art of writing.

Boosts memory and helps recall:

Writing stimulates and helps us make sense of the matter. When committing notes to paper, the human brain is able to retain more knowledge while also better comprehending and summarizing the same. Whether a 0.7mm ball pen or gel pen, writing words down serves the role of memory cues - they recreate the context from the original class, lecture or meeting so you know exactly what you had written.

Why Choose the Electronic Genius of the Keyboard?

Produces neat, orderly work:

Regardless of your doctor-like handwriting style or whether your palms sweat or not, the keyboard does not discriminate in any way. On the contrary, you can make your work more appealing through a variety of tools such as fonts, bullet points and page layouts among others. Typing also benefits users since it is easier when it comes to sharing via devices or online.

Concrete solution for storage:

Even with the smoothest pen in the world, it is likely that something written on paper can be misplaced, distorted or even destroyed. Pressing a few keys while typing can ensure the safety of all you write. Typing ensures that there is a backup of your work stored on both devices as well as online platforms such as Google Drive. Using a keyboard leaves you less susceptible to losing your work.

Faster and more convenient:

Besides its use in almost every part of life, typing is also easier and quicker as a process of recording information. It’s even easier due to its benefits such as autocorrect and grammar corrections. Emphasizing the placement of keys through a simple movement, it has become the ultimate solution for note-takers far and wide.

However, just because times have changed doesn’t mean that the writing process has to. In fact, Jhumpa Lahiri, a famed author that has a Pulitzer to her name, spilled the beans in an interview about her mixed approach. While she enjoys printing out sections and then scribbling edits through the margin, she states that she doesn’t “write exclusively by hand” but feels “freer” in doing so.

Stephen King himself occasionally experiments with longhand and points out that the end result is shaped by choosing a pen or a computer, or both.

So why even make a choice from the two mediums?

The beauty of both lies in-between.