Word Processor or Legal Pad?

[Nathal]

I'm curious. How many of you DMs get more creative work done using a word processor, and how many can't seem to get the mental juices flowing without using a conventional pen and paper? Does it matter at all? I read once, and I can't remember for the life of me where, that creative writing on a word processor uses a different region of the brain than handwriting. I thought that was interesting, although I don't know if I believe it has any real impact on the writing process.

What do you think? Do you do your best work in front of the computer screen or sitting at the couch with your #2 pencil and paper?

 

[Gilladian]

I prefer to compose and create on the computer. I think this came about while I was in grad school and had no time to waste writing on paper and then converting to computer format so I could hand in printed pages.

Now, I find that writing is so much slower than typing, and editing is so cumbersome by hand that I really don't like to work that way.

But since I don't have a laptop, when I'm out somewhere I take notes by hand and convert to the computer later.

If somebody ever came up with a PDA with a real keyboard interface that wasn't so bulky as to be virtually impossible to carry, I'd be happy.

Gilladian

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Hmmm, in my case the answer isn't that it doesn't matter, it is that I use both. I write on placemats (or nowadays on Campaign Planner sheets) while thinking and eating, then copy it in more legible form on my computer. I wouldn't want to give up either one! For some odd reason I find that I think better in the hustle and bustle of a fast food restaurant. Better able to focus while painting miniatures too...

The Auld Grump, so you can write anything you want at Alice's Restaurant...

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Well, a little of both. I try to ogranize my homebrew stuff on my computer, but most of my sketchbooks are full of little notes and ideas that have nothing to do with what I've sketched on the page. I really need to go through them and type them up more coherently than seeing a small bird on a page and then a note about a possible non-avian villain idea...

 

[Wombat]

I write adventures using...

MS Word
Open Office
yellow legal pads
spiral notebooks
soggy napkins
the back of my hand
margins of my gamebooks

In other words, whatever is handy

Oh, and about every 3-4 sessions, due to the actions of my players, I am required to rely on my imagination straight up at the table, with no written notes...

 

[diaglo]

#2 pencil and graph paper.

 

[philreed]

These days I'm getting more and more use out of notepads. I've even written outlines for adventures and entire PDFs on notepads. As recently as 6-7 months ago I was entirely computer. Michael Hammes convinced me to start using a notepad and I'm happy that he did.

 

[Desdichado]

I certainly don't require a word processor other than that I prefer to write anything on the computer vs. on paper these days.

With the exception of maps. While I like a good CG map as much as the next guy, I still get a real visceral pleasure out of drawing them by hand anyway.

 

[scrubkai]

I typically do my adventure planning as I think of new cool Ideas.

Once in a while I have a flash of inspiration while at my computer, but most of the time I'm sitting on the train, in my car or out taking my son for a walk, when I get the Wouldn't it be cool if.... Ideas. So it's just grab the nearest piece of scratch paper and start scratching out next session's adventure.

 

[Allanon]

Well I tend to get "writer's block" or something of the kind quicker when typing in a word processer than when writing in my notebook.

Same applies when I'm on my job. I get most creative with a good pencil and some paper idling away at a another boring meeting than when I'm sitting behind my desk looking at word (or when I'm at home openoffice).