Clive Thompson on the Typing vs. Writing Debate
“Type as quickly as you can, and always carry a pencil.”
We’ve weighed in on the struggle between typing and handwriting before. We found research that showed how handwriting was better for retaining information. We also showed the reasons why writers are better off writing by hand.
When we watched digital writer Clive Thompson give a keynote speech for INBOUND on the debate, we knew we had to chronicle his arguments. Clive gives a ten-minute speech about typing versus writing, at the end of which, he declares no clear winner.
Writing Helps Us With Our Notes
Thompson kind of echoes our sentiments – when it comes to taking note taking, he argues, handwriting wins. He cited the same study, concluding that note typists don’t retain as much information as note writers. Using his own notes as an example, he vouched for taking notes by hand, as well as for doodling, a practice we’ve also championed in the past.
Typing Helps Us With Our Ideas
When it comes to writing – in the production sense – Thompson argues that typing wins out, no question. His basic argument is that a writer can’t get their thoughts out as fast by hand as they can with a lightspeed WPM.
Thompson cites a study that Australian scientists performed on struggling middle school students that shows that students that can type earn higher marks on their writing. The “bottleneck” between one’s ideas and their transcription becomes wider when the idea holder is typing it out.
Conclusion, Thoughts
Ultimately, Thompson concludes, there is no clear-cut winner in the debate between typing and writing. Each tool serves its user better under different circumstances. Thompson’s ultimate advice: Type as quickly as you can and always carry a pencil.
His advice makes sense, really. Personally, college is a recent experience and computerized note taking never did it for me – I quickly committed to my pencil and notebook.
On the other hand, one of the most prolific writers I know, whose writing schedule is full of unobtainable deadlines and even more unobtainable personal goals and ethics, types his notes into the URL bar of his browser because, according to him, the URL bar is the most immediate and uncensored medium for processing thoughts. Switching to his word processor, he says, robs the thought of its purity.
What do you think?