November 16, 2025

Drafting by Hand Before the Keyboard

I still draft many scenes by hand.

The slower pace prevents me from pretending a weak sentence is acceptable.

You cannot outrun vagueness with a pen.

Longhand helps me hear cadence and intention before the speed of typing pushes me into premature polish.

By the time I move a scene to keyboard, I usually know its emotional centre.

This is partly craft and partly temperament. I like to think in layers, and pen-and-paper still gives me the most honest first layer.

Clive

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