Why I Still Prefer Handwritten First Drafts In 2025

We've been storytellers since the dawn of time. And as time has gone on, the way we tell our stories has continued to evolve. With all of the software, apps, and devices out there, technology has made the writing process more efficient and accessible than ever before.

So how is it that in 2025, I still prefer handwritten first drafts?

There are many positives to digital drafts. They're usually faster, for one thing. Between flashdrives and syncing to the cloud, it's easy to work on multiple devices or on the go as I often do and have backups in the event misfortune strikes. It's far easier to make changes, especially in the moment, or jump around if you're not the kind of writer who prefers to write their stories' chapters in chronological order.

I'm not opposed to taking the digital approach. It's just that I've done the majority of my first drafts by hand since my first effort at writing a novel when I was fourteen, which also became my method for drafting roughly 45% of my blog posts (including this one), and I've found that it works better for me.

Here's why...

Imperfection Not Just Expected, But Encouraged

We all know how intimidating staring at a blank screen can be. What should feel like a fresh canvas for our writing feels more like a cold, harrowing void.

That's not to say a blank page in a notebook won't have you feeling the same way, but I find it less intimidating than an empty doc.

With a digital draft, there's a crispness to it. No E looks different from any other E. If you make a mistake, a few taps of the backspace key clears away any evidence of it. But that makes it sterile and uninviting to me.

Handwritten drafts encourage the innate messiness that comes with first drafts. There's a sense of pride that comes with seeing how many things are erased and crossed out along the way because it goes to show how much work goes into writing. It helps manage the expectation that a story needs to be right the first time around when in reality, it only needs to be written.

The Tactile Approach

I've always been a hands-on learner. Going as far back as elementary school, getting a literal feel for new information was always easier than listening to it or only reading it. It's likely why I personally prefer physical books to eBooks and audiobooks.

With handwritten drafts, I find it's easier to focus on my writing. The physical act of writing requires more attention than typing. Plus, my trusty notebooks are distraction-free. I'm able to pull up some ambient music on my phone and stash it away somewhere that it's not as immediately accessible as a tab or separate browser window—something I also love about my low-tech Alphasmart NEO2.

As someone who gets distracted fairly easily, these more "acoustic" options help me stay productive.

Portability

Between my laptop, my old-laptop-with-a-broken-screen-turned-desktop, my NEO2, and my phone (and my tablet that acts as a Kindle 98% of the time), I've got plenty of options for how I write. And most of them are able to be taken on the go.

They're just not always convenient.

I'm able to squeeze my laptop and NEO2 into my everyday backpack, but it gets heavy. When writing with my tablet, I use a Bluetooth keyboard, which means more parts to bring with me. And I'm just not a fan of using my phone for writing anything beyond a text message or a social media post.

Apart from my NEO2, these options are reliant on WiFi, and all including my NEO2 have a limited battery life if I don't bring the necessary charging cable (though I've only had to change my NEO2's AA batteries once in the two years I've had it).

Notebooks don't depend on a power source to work, and apart from some pencils or pens, don't require any additional components. You also don't have to worry about losing your writing because a document didn't save correctly because you can easily find mini notebooks to tuck into your bag or pocket for a more convenient option.

And I'm not saying I sneak my notebook out during slower shifts at my day job, but I'm not not saying that...

Editing

A common complaint about handwritten drafts is the extra steps that can come with them, like having to transcribe everything. Like, if you're going to have to type it all up anyway, why not just start with a digital draft and spare yourself the trouble?

Here's the thing: my preliminary edits happen while I'm typing things up. Because of the way I "hear" myself during the process, I'm able to pick up on sentences that are either too long or too similar in rhythm or just don't sound right. I make all kinds of little changes during this extra step that make my writing feel stronger—and arguably more tolerable—when it comes time for more substantial edits.

Racing Thoughts And Slow Hands

Typing up your first draft speeds up the process, but speed isn't always a good thing.

I tend to think faster than I type, which often leads to typos and even whole words being skipped. Handwritten drafts force me to slow down. Even though my internal spellcheck is lacking at times, this low-tech approach results in fewer of these hiccups.

Tale As Old As Time

Handwritten drafts have always been my go-to method even as far back as my teen years when all of my writing was done in a beat-up-to-hell-and-back black three-ring binder, and even though it was in part out of necessity, there's something about writing my historical romances by hand that just feels right.

Authors of yesteryear wouldn't have had the modern tech we're fortunate to have at our fingertips. Imagine how different Jane Austen or the Bronte sisters' approach to writing would be if they could have gone digital!

There's something special about writing historical fiction by hand. Like I'm taking a small step back in time by taking part in the same process my characters would be.

Handwritten drafts come with their share of downsides. The fact they take notably longer than a digital draft. The physical strain. The limitations and extra steps needed because of them.

And yet, I always gravitate towards them.

I like to think I'm pretty tech-savvy. After all, I was the four-year-old who installed a computer game on my preschool's computer because my teacher couldn't navigate the setup wizard. I try to stay in the loop where new writing tech is concerned. But time and time again, handwritten drafts pull me in.

And I honestly wouldn't have it any other way.