Distraction-Free Writing Device Roundup

Just kidding, the title is just clickbait, but I wrote a comment on an HN discussion about some “distraction-free” writing devices that reflected something I’ve been thinking about for a while and I wanted to repost it here:

[Regarding the devices] The various iterations all look quite attractive, and the final one especially looks kind of like if an Apple IIc and a computer from Brazil had a baby – in a good way! I congratulate the creator on producing so much real hardware and not just renders; I’ve designed and made hardware and it’s hard as hell!

But I’ve also written a pretty good bit (not just code documentation and emails but fiction, short stories), and it’s also hard as hell, and like a lot of people who want to write things I’ve dabbled with all sorts of instruments that I’m convinced will finally be the trick to make the words come out good.

I’ve used legal pads, and composition books, and spiral notebooks, and grid paper notepads.

I’ve written with pencils, and ballpoints, and fountain pens, and dip pens with a whole variety of nibs and inks (admittedly that was mostly just for fun).

I’ve written in Acme on Plan 9, in Emacs and Vi on Linux, in Google Docs on a cheap Chromebook, and in BBEdit on a Mac SE/30. I’ve also used a mechanical typewriter, a Selectric electric typewriter, and an AlphaSmart Neo 2.

So I say the following from experience:

1. Writing is difficult to do well, regardless of how you’re getting the words down.

2. It’s easy to distract yourself, regardless of how you’re getting the words down.

3. One of the easiest ways to accomplish #2 is by dreaming about the next perfect writing tool that will really make your writing sing just as soon as you muster up the courage to click “Buy”.

4. Once you get your latest writing toy^H^H^Htool, it’s easier to write blog posts about it than to write the things you actually want to write but are deep down too timid to try.

In summary, I applaud Unkyu for making these, and I don’t think they’re likely to help you write better.