by Last Updated on April 6, 2024 by Avia
Writing can be a daunting task, but a few techniques can take your writing craft to another level. For instance, you can set certain times each day to write, or you can create an ideal writing environment within your home. Most of us have our own ideas about getting inspired to write. However, do we really know the benefits of writing? When it comes to writing by hand, the task can become highly beneficial. Are you wondering how? If so, we’ve put together seven powerful benefits of writing by hand provides.
Table of Contents
It Engages Your Mind and Frees You from Distractions
When using your phone or PC for writing a diary or anything, you can easily distract yourself. These gadgets give multiple options that serve as a playground for distractions. Even if you turn the WiFi off while writing, the temptation is still there. Alternatively, writing by hand in a notebook or a journal offers a distraction-free zone. Also, when you’re writing by hand, it engages your mind more than typing. You can feel the formation of every letter and exclamation mark.
On the contrary, you only press buttons when you use a laptop. Writing on paper takes you away from the digital life and helps you focus your thoughts better. For example, many students prefer to write their assignments by hand first in order to zone in on their thoughts and the core message of their paper. However, if you struggle with writing essays this way, experts suggest using pre written college essays online. But, read them carefully and understand how the professional writer has composed the piece. Doing so will help you write on your own pretty soon.
In either case, a research study involving children revealed that participants assigned to craft essays by hand had more expressive ideas than those who typed. This is often attributed to how the brain functions when writing with pen and paper versus typing. It deals with a more visceral way of processing information that enhances clarity in thought as well as boosts organization and creativity.
Writing by Hand Boosts Your Creativity
Inscribing on paper also helps you think out of the box. It provides your brain with free reign to be creative and allows you to write whatever you want. Also, it helps you produce unique pieces. You will not be tempted to Google things and paraphrase. Instead, write whatever comes to your mind and edit it later.
Don’t get worried about grammatical or other errors when penning down your thoughts. Just go with the flow. This is what keeps your creative juices flowing. Besides, jotting down on paper pushes your brain forward to make new conclusions and observations. It allows you to slow down and find innovative ideas from the stream of your subconsciousness.
The high-tech world often judges your intelligence and effectiveness solely based on your know-how of technological advancements. However, innovative thinking is a natural trait. What comes naturally is bound to be reliable and straight from the heart. The increased dependency on technology has diminished the inherent creative spark in many people. While technology automates everything for people, writing by hand invokes the creative spirit because it is a mindful, artistic process you are fully engaged in.
Increases Focus
Penning requires a narrow focus and sheer dedication. You need to be on your toes all the time. The thought process and the coordination of your hand are delicate and can’t be substituted with technology. So, your keyboard is good but not as good as your hand. You might be excellent at utilizing technology to the optimum, but your instinct is extraordinary and can do wonders. Out of the many benefits of writing by hand, the aspects of focus are at the top of the benefits list.
Moreover, the minimal scope for distraction makes writing with a hand more fruitful. Research reveals that a specific brain fragment – reticular activating system (RAS) – is stimulated when you pen down something. It filters all the sensory details from the environment and sticks to only essential bits of information. When you handcraft your drafts, this area of your brain gets stimulated. As a result, the brain pays attention solely to the task at hand – hence increasing your focus.
Improves Your Learning Comprehension
Believe it or not, when you take notes during a lecture, you are more likely to retain the information than typing notes on your laptop. A student who jots down pointers and bullets during the class lecture can reproduce the lecture at home with ease compared to the one who types on a laptop. Here are the benefits of writing by hand and comprehension:
- Improves your understanding of the topic
- The ideas you write are more precise
- The concepts are better formulated and easier to comprehend
When you type, you’re often focusing more on the keyboard and less on the meaning behind the words.
Besides, you exclude unwanted, irrelevant information when writing by hand. You can summarize and paraphrase what your professor explains in the class. Quick diagrams, flow charts, and bullets during the lecture help you memorize the lecture conceptually. Therefore, taking notes in your notebook is one of the powerful tips for writing to improve your comprehension.
Makes You A Better Writer
All the brilliant writers have been using their hands to write their pieces for centuries. Shakespeare certainly didn’t have a laptop. Nope, he used a quill, and some might argue the act of writing by hand might have contributed to the bard’s eloquent prose.
Hand-writing is a natural phenomenon, and when put in action it can take the lead when it comes to creative writing. Furthermore, practicing the art of writing by hand can motivate you to write better. Not everyone is capable of producing a masterpiece, however, writing by hand can improve your game and even inspire you to better writing.
Think of any of the top bestsellers. They all write their first draft by hand. Indeed writing by hand takes effort. However, the perks are unbelievable. Writing on paper makes you ponder upon ideas more. You tend to carefully craft every sentence. The usage of vocabulary is also thoughtful when writing by hand.
Can Improve Your Handwriting
Another skill that gets improved when you pen your ideas is your handwriting. It is a proud feeling to have excellent penmanship. You may be able to develop a powerful style of handwriting. You get the opportunity to improve your creative flow while writing by hand. Moreover, writing by hand gives you enhanced hand-eye coordination that helps you write more beautifully. Besides, you can easily find more tips for writing by hand online. Who knows, you may find yourself enjoying the art of penmanship and maybe even learning calligraphy or other types of hand fonts.
Critical Thinking
Writing itself improves thinking abilities. Writing your piece by hand might be a lengthy drill compared to being on the laptop. However, the time you take to write by hand is worth it, because you can critically evaluate your thoughts while writing.
The thinking process is subtle and natural while writing by hand. Your abstract concepts are elaborated more finely when writing by hand. The slowed-down thinking process will eventually result in high-quality writing. Taking time to think, assess, ponder, and refine can lead to a polished, well-written piece. Therefore, writing by hand can yield better results compared to using a laptop.
Final Thoughts About Writing by Hand
Now the benefits of writing by hand should be pretty clear. The takeaways are advantageous for all the skill sets and can be reaped by all age levels. Whether you want to brainstorm, write a bestseller, or master a perfect essay, writing by hand can help you gain great results. So, think about setting your laptop aside and start penning your thoughts down. You might be amazed at how this one action can expand your creativity, hone your focus and stimulate brilliant ideas.
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