How This Old-School Device Has Transformed My Writing Process

I love writing. I write a lot, perhaps not as much as I’d like. Writing is the way I best express myself. It’s my method for processing my thoughts.

As biographer David McCullough said, “Writing is thinking. To write well is to think clearly.”

The challenge is that there are so many distractions standing between me and writing. Work. Kids. Meetings. TV. Social media. Decent things, but not always the most important.

Since our usual method for writing is on the computer (read: Google Docs), those distractions are far too close. It’s too easy to open a new browser tab and spending valuable time on ESPN.

I miss the simplicity of a typewriter. So what if we could combine the distraction-free environment of a typewriter with the convenience of a computer? I figured someone would’ve come up with a solution and I was right.

The Fancier, Pricier Option

After a quick online search, I found the Freewrite devices.

They’re basically fancy wifi-connected typewriters that track your word count and time writing. Reviewers rave about how easy to use these devices and how well they’re designed to focus on writing. No more mindless browsing and more productive writing. Perfect!