by Phyllis Twombly

Created on: June 25, 2009

Winning your personal struggle with the pen begins with ceasing to see it as something outside of you. As a writer the pen is one of the most powerful tools you possess - regardless of the form it takes. You may equate the idea of a pen with a computer keyboard or even a stylus, but the purpose is the same. The pen is whatever tool you use to capture your ideas in a readable format so that other people can share your ideas.

The main problem with using an actual pen is the limited amount of ink in each one. With a more expensive pen it's possible to waste so much money buying replacement ink that it soon amounts to the cost of the pen itself. Cheaper pens are easier to toss and replace in order to contribute waste to the environment. It's a wonder anyone is allowed to have an old style pen these days. There are still a few stubborn writers who insist on wasting pens, ink, and paper on handwriting everything first.

It can be a big adjustment to begin using a keyboard instead. In keeping with modern times, this 'pen' may malfunction in new and modern ways. The scroll function may freeze and delete entire pages. An unexpected power surge may fry the whole thing entirely; but, on the bright side, no paper is harmed in the process. Mastering the computer as a writing tool helps make the mind more agile as it learns to battle the artificial intelligence within.

The process is really what it's all about when triumphing over your pen/keyboard/stylus. Here's how it works. You learn to think; then you learn to write. Soon you can do both, almost simultaneously. The more you practice writing down your thoughts the more seamless the connection with your chosen style of 'pen.' After years of practice (most of which fortunately takes place in school when you're distracted by other things), it becomes almost impossible to think without something to write with. When working on my own novels I sit down and start typing to find out what happens next!

From the level of writing quality one finds on-line and elsewhere, it's obvious some of you are still using the stone tablet and chisel. You know who you are! The good news is that those old manual 'finger eating monster' typewriters are no longer available. You know what I'm talking about, that's why you went back to the chisel. (It's easier on the fingers!) Come over here, step into the light of my computer screen, and taste the sweet victory of writer over pen!

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