In our pervasive world of screens, handwriting is fading into obscurity. So, is this a good thing or not for creatives? Princeton and UCLA researchers Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer tested over 300 students taking notes during class lectures.
The students taking notes by handwriting retained significantly more ideas than those who typed notes on a laptop. They also found that the handwriting students reframed ideas in their own words and engaged brain activity was noticeably more substantial.
Rather than starting creative ideas on a Mac, Apple’s creative process has historically emphasized using whiteboards for brainstorming and idea development. Steve Jobs, in particular, was known for effectively using whiteboards to visualize concepts and facilitate team discussions. Check out Jobs’ Whiteboard Strategies.
RLC has long advised talent to practice journaling by hand to stimulate their creative juices. I started scribbling and sketching my ideas on paper when I thought of writing this article. Like many people, my handwriting is a mixture of cursive and printing. Cursive or printing doesn’t matter; the process of pen to paper fosters creativity.
HANDWRITING VERSUS TYPING
There are multiple benefits to handwriting and typing. It depends on the activity. Let’s break down the two processes:
Handwriting
Improves focus: Writing by hand reduces multitasking and digital distractions like notifications.
Slows you down in a good way: It forces you to slow your thoughts, which gives your brain space to reflect and make deeper connections. The lag time can lead to better ideas and insights.
Boosts idea generation: Handwriting activates the brain areas tied to imagination. It’s why writers use notepads to sketch out rough ideas.
Encourages freewheeling: There’s no pressure to make it look perfect. Messy scribbling and doodling make it easier to follow your thoughts from idea to idea.
Supports visual thinking: Besides words, handwriting includes sketching, drawing arrows, maps, and circles to spark storytelling and ideas.
Typing
Speed and efficiency: Most people can type faster than they can write.
Editing: Typing is easy to revise, reorganize, and format text.
Search and store: Digital notes are easier to organize, back up, and share.
Collaboration: Docs can be shared and co-edited in real time.
Accessibility: Tools like spell check, grammar, and AI help refine blogs, reports, and summaries.
The Wrap
Handwriting kindles creativity. Whether you’re writing a bit, a blog, or an important memo, start with the pen to get all your ideas out. Then go to your keyboard to edit, organize, and structure your idea.
In our increasingly digital age, putting pen to paper remains an invaluable tool for human creativity.
