Old Skool

I think I'm done with editing for today as my hand is going to drop off. How did I manage at school? The top of my ring finger is as flat as a board and throbbing with aubergine blood.

My philosophy teacher at school made us write our essays by hand, because he'd relied solely on his typewriter at college and consequently developed a scrawl that a doctor would be proud of. We went along with his request but privately dismissed it as another teacher eccentricity. Paper schmaper, I thought, banging away at my college keyboard, smug in the knowledge that technology would save me.

Dear Mr. Atkinson - I'm sorry about all the moaning because you were right after all.

Turns out I can only tackle all aspects of an edit 'old skool' - using pen and paper - because I take more in. I also give myself more time to mull over details such as characteristics and style than if I was editing onscreen.

I will be returning to my laptop soon as the smaller details are best wrestled with there - hopefully by Saturday, as I've covered half of my story on paper so far - but I managed to come up with some good ideas for colour and pacing today. I'm chuffed.