Writing Reflection

One of the quotes that most resonated with me about writing was "The writing writing I do is longhand... The first two or three drafts are always longhand... I can type very much faster than I can write. And writing makes me slow down in a way that helps me pay attention." For most things, I usually choose to write things down by hand. All of my flashcards and all of my notes for classes are done on paper with a pen, because it helps me take my time and process what I want to say before I write it down. However, when I write long pieces, I have always like writing on the computer because it seems less permanent. It is easier to make changes and edit things when it isn't written by hand, and I am less reluctant to edit when it is as movable as a computer document. I also don't pay as much attention as I should when I write. Frequently, I am told that I write the way that I talk, which is to say that there is very little filtered from my brain to my hand the way that it should be when I write.
I have not always thought of myself as the best writer, and David Foster Wallace put it nicely in saying that writing can be a humbling experience. He also said "they start realizing that really learning how to write effectively is, in fact, probably more of a matter of spirit than is is of intellect." This quote explains the nature of writing that is linked with creativity, emotion, and imagination. If being an excellent communicator and effective writer has more to do with the way you think and how you approach it, rather than sheer intellect, then what happens in your creative and emotional brain is more important.