@Cheri I've been writing fiction by hand for about a year now. The one major downside I find is the hassle of typing it up awterwards. I am convinced that it leads to a better story though so it's a pain point I'm okay with.
@Cheri I feel exactly the same! I try to use the latest apps to write my first drafts, and always end up with a pen in hand. I love your idea of matching notebooks to the type of story I'm writing.
Additionally, seeing the story in my mind’s eye is far easier when I’m using a pen. I don’t know why, but I’ll run with it!
I get that, too, sometimes, and have also never quite figured it out. Writing is more natural and thus less to focus on/interrupt than something like typing is?
I can keep up with my mind a lot better with a pen/pencil than I can with anything else (except, occasionally, a real keyboard), certainly moreso than a tiny software keyboard, dictation, or finger on a steamed shower door.
@smokey I’ve read that some studies that show a positive link between memory formation and physical movement. Therefore I suspect the physicality of forming letters with our hands is better connected to our neurological structure than undifferentiated key presses, but that’s just a hunch.
@Cheri Glad to see someone (re)discovering the delights of writing by hand! I wrote the complete draft of my NaNoWriMo 2018 novel by hand in 2 spiral-bound A4 books, and it was the best kind of flow and immersion in my own story. Now I'll only ever write a first draft by hand because it helps me get the story out in the purest, most unadulterated way. Then the massaging/editing begins on the computer. Using handwriting and typing for different writing goals also helps with switching cognitive gears when dealing with different parts of the story process. (cf. Austin Kleon in one of his books, probably Steal Like an Artist, on having analogue and digital creative spaces.)
I also saw a hand therapist who identified my personal bad handwriting/posture habits, and taught me how to learn better ones. Having good hand/arm care and ergonomics is important if you want to continue handwriting in the long term, so if you're noticing increasing stress in your arm or hand, I'd recommend seeing a hand therapist to catch issues early.