When it comes to writing our different stories there are many methods people undergo to help the creative flow be just that, unblocked. For some recording their thoughts in various voice catching devices can help keep up with their stream of consciousness. Others write as much out through apps on their phones as possible because they always have it close at hand and can be certain to catch their ideas before they fade away. For myself, it has always been a place of pen and paper first, which is then transferred over to my laptop later on.
I am a very tactile person by nature. I learn best with a combination of visual and hands on instructions. I’m also one of those people who can’t stomach certain foods due to texture alone. Sorry mushrooms, you have great flavor, but I just can’t handle food that bounces in my mouth! 😅 I’m looking at you too Octopus!
So, I suppose it shouldn’t be that surprising the one of the ways that helps me connect to my creativity is when I can have a tactile focal point. And it’s not just any old combination of writing utensil plus pad of paper either. I am that weirdo who will geek out over the Precise V5 Pilot pens with that super smooth flowing ink. It makes me feel like a calligrapher with cheats on. 😂 And then comes the preferred notebook, either leather of faux-leather bound with that good quality floppiness in your hands which helps it lay flat on the desk. Bonus points if there is a ribbon inside to help me flip back to my spot with ease.
There is just something about feeling the weight of the pen in my hand, the drag of it across a page that looses a glossy pristine line. The slightest crinkling sound of paper as my hand brushes over it, and the deft scrip scrap of each hastily jotted word etched into the book’s fibers as my fingers battle to keep pace with the buzzing world within my mind. And don’t even get me started on the comforting smell of the pages, like cousins to my old friends wedged tightly on each bookshelf. There’s a sense of connection I experience with each author and poet that has gone before me. All these thoughts and sensations swirl together as a faint canopy of comfort over my mind and body when I write this way. Really, this is the first time I’ve truly put the feeling to words, it’s always just been a part of me that I was only partially aware of its depth.
Beyond the artistic rendering, there is a more literal and practical approach as to why I find this format of writing most conducive to my success. I have mentioned briefly before my Dyslexia. For those who don’t know what that it is, Dyslexia is defined as: a condition of neurodevelopmental origin that mainly affects the ease with which a person reads, writes, and spells, typically recognized as a specific learning disorder in children.