Photo by Anthony AlbrightIn our digital word, it’s possible to never pick up a pen or pencil and write something. In fact, I recently found out that my handwriting is all but gone. Typing has replaced the typical letter writing. Even my hand markings are now digital with my tablet. One of my 2011 new year resolution is to go back to analog to be better at the digital world.
Typewriter – I bought a couple Remington Travel-riter mechanical typewriters. These are old typewriters that don’t plug in. There’s no backspace, spell check, or formatting. As a result, it requires focus, attention, and care when crafting a document.
Handwriting – I’m going back old school and working on my “font.” What we learned in elementary school actually applies as an adult. First, write big letters to work out the stroke. Then, start reducing the size until its an adult size.
Calligraphy – Part of my Zen training classes include Japanese calligraphy techniques. I’ll continue to use this to improve my handwriting and also be able to make more ornate text as well.
Sketching – I will be taking visual meeting and graphical recording courses to learn to be a visual facilitator. In an all digital world, all these default stencils and shapes all start to look alike. I’m finding that analog can come a long way.