Computer Or Write By Hand
By Susan
@HazySue (39268)
Gouverneur, New York
April 13, 2017 11:38am CST
Are you an old-fashioned type person who like to write down your ideas or notes on paper or are you someone who likes to save them on a computer? I believe that I am a little of each type.
I find myself learning more towards writing it down on paper but I believe that is mostly because of the time when I lost everything due to a computer crash. 
I also find that if I am not near a computer and I have a great idea I will not remember it by the time I can enter it in a save it. I don't know if this is due to age or forgetfulness or what. 
I am coming to trust my computer more but am still afraid to have only one copy of my ideas and work. 
How do you feel about this? Do you completely trust your information to not go away due to a crash, virus or whatever? Do you tend to write notes by hand? Or are you like me and use both methods?
I also find that if I am not near a computer and I have a great idea I will not remember it by the time I can enter it in a save it. I don't know if this is due to age or forgetfulness or what.
I am coming to trust my computer more but am still afraid to have only one copy of my ideas and work.
How do you feel about this? Do you completely trust your information to not go away due to a crash, virus or whatever? Do you tend to write notes by hand? Or are you like me and use both methods?24 people like this
26 responses
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
13 Apr 17
When I get an idea for myLot I'm usually online so it's easy to just start a post. If it's for the travel blog I write for - - if I get an idea I start my article in Word and save it, then go back and add or correct. This way I usually have several in the pipeline. But I do not make notes with pen/paper. I don't think my computer will crash and if it doens't what I do with my writing isn't rocket science it can be recreated.
3 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
13 Apr 17
@JohnRoberts I usually write it up rough form soon after a restaurant visit. I also have a very good memory. Plus most places have websites to refer back to. Plus in many cases I am writing about events years back .
2 people like this
@HazySue (39268)
• Gouverneur, New York
14 Apr 17
@AbbyGreenhill I am usually out and about when an idea pops in my head. I find that it takes me a while to navigate around the computer when I am on it. It just seems easier to jot it down. I'm not as afraid that the computer will crash and burn and take everything as I used to be. I think it might be time for me to get over it.
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
13 Apr 17
When you are traveling, how do you take notes on the spot? Or do you rely on memory to write later?
1 person likes this
@much2say (55901)
• Los Angeles, California
13 Apr 17
I still love to write on paper - the little notes, ideas, and lists anyway. It's more about convenience for me . . . I can write and shove it away in my purse or wherever. But it's not always easy to find if I forget where I put it 
.
.2 people like this
@much2say (55901)
• Los Angeles, California
19 Apr 17
@HazySue I have a pad in my purse . . . so if I write something in there when I'm not home, it's all good. But when I'm at home, I don't use that pad . . . I use whatever paper is around (and believe me there are loads of paper around) - it gets lost real easily 
.
.1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121659)
• Gainesville, Florida
14 Apr 17
I do a little of both. When I'm out and about, I'll usually type notes in my cell phone, but if I'm at home or at my desk at work, I'll usually write things down on paper. It just usually depends on where I'm at and what I'm doing at the time.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121659)
• Gainesville, Florida
15 Apr 17
@HazySue I think it usually works out the same way for me, where the pen and paper always seem to be more convenient than my phone. Which is funny, because it always seems like my phone is glued to my hand!
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39268)
• Gouverneur, New York
17 Apr 17
@moffittjc I have never used my phone to store ideas. I usually forget and leave it somewhere.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317249)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
15 Apr 17
I think it's the old school mentality that causes us to write things down and put them somewhere safe so we won't lose them, and then we forget where that safe place is. I have had several computer crashes, and yesterday I thought I had permanently lost the finished published manuscript for book three in the series I'm working on. It was a panic moment that ended well. I posted about it. So I back up. I don't trust either, but the computer is more reliable than my memory of where I might have put that piece of paper.
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39268)
• Gouverneur, New York
15 Apr 17
I agree. We get used to doing things a certain way and it is hard to change. Anything is more reliable than my memory. But, I still need to write it down somewhere in a notebook, the old fashioned kind. That would have been awful if you had lost it. That was definitely a panic moment. I am glad it ended well for you.
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39268)
• Gouverneur, New York
14 Apr 17
@JohnRoberts that is a good idea. I used to wait until I was finished and print up a copy so I could see the final product.
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
13 Apr 17
You beat having hard copies. Even when something is in the computer I print a hard copy.
2 people like this
@annierose (21571)
• Philippines
14 Apr 17
I love writing using a computer more than writing it down. My handwriting is not really good. I guess it is because I used computer more to write my thoughts.
1 person likes this
@annierose (21571)
• Philippines
17 Apr 17
@HazySue I find it easier with keyboard than with my own penmanship too. :)
1 person likes this
@zhuhuifen46 (3483)
• China
18 Apr 17
I am using the computer to write, but still keep the habit of writing an outline by hand. And when reading newspapers, I sometimes put down what i am interested for possible future uses. Handwriting is my pride, in a sense. What a pity, most kids pay little attention.
1 person likes this
@silvermist (19702)
• India
14 Apr 17
@HazySue I am a little old fashioned,I usually note them down using pen and paper or notebook.
1 person likes this
@silvermist (19702)
• India
15 Apr 17
@HazySue Yes,sometimes I wonder why?Though I use computer,I feel writing out with pen and paper better.
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39268)
• Gouverneur, New York
15 Apr 17
@silvermist I feel more secure using paper and pen. I think maybe that's because we didn't grow up using the computer.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
15 Apr 17
Honestly,these days I write notes on my phone, it is always with me and I have a load of notes on it.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
16 Apr 17
@HazySue I have a notes app and I use it for everything from a grocery list to ideas I get.
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39268)
• Gouverneur, New York
17 Apr 17
@BelleStarr I would guess that the more you use it the easier it is to use. I will have to check it all.
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (67081)
• United States
13 Apr 17
I use to write things on the computer and save it. But they weren't that important things, so if the computer crashed or something it would never be a big deal. The only things I care about are my pictures and videos.
1 person likes this
@mysimplelot (1347)
• Calcutta, India
28 Jul 17
I like to have both. With advance in technology you do not need to keep on paper. Also it is much easy to take notes on a digital diary.
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
14 Apr 17
I agree .. I usually take down notes too ..
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (83062)
• United States
15 Apr 17
Mostly I keep notes on a pad and jot them down as I think of them.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (20046)
• United States
14 Apr 17
I like to write notes by hand. There is always a change of lose it on the computer.
1 person likes this
@Meramar (2695)
•
14 Apr 17
When it's a short list, just an idea or a few words, I use my mobile phone to write it into my notes. If the idea I have to write down is a bit longer, I use my laptop if I have it near. Otherwise, I use a notebook or paper. Handwriting is the last option, as I lose sometimes my papers.
1 person likes this
