When was the last time you used a Typewriter?

When I was a child, the thing I wanted to buy most was a typewriter. I used to write poems (or at least what I thought were poems) and short stories on paper, and wondered when I would be able to type them out on a typewriter. The typewriter, to me, was that one thing that would complete my life. Of course, I had no idea about soulmates back then.

It was by mere chance that one day I got a chance to use a typewriter in my father’s office. Typing my first poem on that machine was one of the happiest moments of my life. But, I never bought a typewriter of my own, because by the time I had enough money to buy a typewriter, no one was buying one.

The typewriter had been replaced by the computer.

Times change, and with time people change too. We may not realise it but the way we did things ten years back was much different from the way we do things now. The way we write today is different from the way we wrote ten years ago. Maybe not in terms of style, but in terms of the tools we use.

The use of the latest tools, made available to us because of the huge strides made by mankind in the field of technology, is a huge advantage to us. We can be more productive than our forefathers ever were. But, for that, we need to keep abreast of the latest tools and gadgets that are available.

Not using the right tools for our writing, or any other creative work, is akin to using the typewriter when the computer is available. If you have used a typewriter, or ever seen anyone using one, you will know the difference.

This difference is what can make or break you as a creative person. As a writer, it is not easy to find time and energy to write often and write regularly. If our tools weigh us down further, then we may not be able to write anything at all. Therefore, it becomes imperative that we use the right tools for our writing.

So, have you used the Typewriter recently? I hope not, unless, of course, the typewriter is what brings out your creative best.