This had me in stitches. I just argued to an AI critic today that life was so much better when we did all of our research using library card catalogues and looked up book passages using paper indices. Not sure why anyone would bother with AI based search engines, or grammar and spelling checkers, when the traditional methods worked so well and efficiently! It's so satisfying flipping through cards, and back and forth between indices and book pages, isn't it? Who wouldn't prefer dipping a quill in an inkwell to typing 120 words per minute on a computer keyboard?
Each to their own. Power to the trads and to the digital rads. It's all good as long as they own and create their story in their own words!
First of all, thank you for reading! Second, I am so right there with you. In primary school, we had library class where we learned how to answer research questions using a card catalog. The irony for me is seeing Substack notes where people eschew everything AI and lambaste others…feeding their pleas into a machine learning algorithm.
I love the way you put it—whatever works to get the ideas out of you and onto the page is considered a successful technique in my eyes!
Real writers don't need to know how to make ink... they dip the quill pen in their newly opened veins and write with their own blood... except horror writers, they can use whoever's blood they can catch.
Oh my gosh—what a waste of poor Huey’s life giving serum!! Rowan should have bottled it up…I wonder if he would stoop to PETA style splashing it on self-proclaimed problematics!?
Delightful satire, Gillian! I chucked throughout and laughed aloud a few times (loudest when I got rick-rolled, which was a perfect touch for this piece).
As you may know, I'm an ardent advocate for writing with a manual typewriter. I think many writers are missing out on a helpful tool for developing their material. But I'm not religious or judgmental about this sort of thing, of course, and I love the lampooning of misguided antiquarianism.
Thank you so much for reading—I am glad the humor came through! I didn’t realize you’re a typewriter. I am old enough that I applied for college using one so I definitely understand the value. Whatever strategies or implements work for you are great…it’s the ability to laugh and to allow others to do what jives with them that matters. If you take thoughts and come out the other end with words, you’re writing!
I honestly almost replaced all my book covers with plain black and white courier font text, but I see now that only lumpy paper with smudged ink will do. I'll post the photos later.
This had me in stitches. I just argued to an AI critic today that life was so much better when we did all of our research using library card catalogues and looked up book passages using paper indices. Not sure why anyone would bother with AI based search engines, or grammar and spelling checkers, when the traditional methods worked so well and efficiently! It's so satisfying flipping through cards, and back and forth between indices and book pages, isn't it? Who wouldn't prefer dipping a quill in an inkwell to typing 120 words per minute on a computer keyboard?
Each to their own. Power to the trads and to the digital rads. It's all good as long as they own and create their story in their own words!
First of all, thank you for reading! Second, I am so right there with you. In primary school, we had library class where we learned how to answer research questions using a card catalog. The irony for me is seeing Substack notes where people eschew everything AI and lambaste others…feeding their pleas into a machine learning algorithm.
I love the way you put it—whatever works to get the ideas out of you and onto the page is considered a successful technique in my eyes!
Real writers don't need to know how to make ink... they dip the quill pen in their newly opened veins and write with their own blood... except horror writers, they can use whoever's blood they can catch.
Oh my gosh—what a waste of poor Huey’s life giving serum!! Rowan should have bottled it up…I wonder if he would stoop to PETA style splashing it on self-proclaimed problematics!?
Delightful satire, Gillian! I chucked throughout and laughed aloud a few times (loudest when I got rick-rolled, which was a perfect touch for this piece).
As you may know, I'm an ardent advocate for writing with a manual typewriter. I think many writers are missing out on a helpful tool for developing their material. But I'm not religious or judgmental about this sort of thing, of course, and I love the lampooning of misguided antiquarianism.
Thank you so much for reading—I am glad the humor came through! I didn’t realize you’re a typewriter. I am old enough that I applied for college using one so I definitely understand the value. Whatever strategies or implements work for you are great…it’s the ability to laugh and to allow others to do what jives with them that matters. If you take thoughts and come out the other end with words, you’re writing!
Absolutely brilliant!
I honestly almost replaced all my book covers with plain black and white courier font text, but I see now that only lumpy paper with smudged ink will do. I'll post the photos later.
Careful with shaving the feathers, it's a tricky art to master!!