Put simply, to write is to commit one’s thoughts and ideas in black and white. But with the evolution of technology, there are many means to choose from when you imprint your thoughts on paper or digital spaces.

From conventional handwriting, to pressing keys on a keyboard, to employing speech-to-text programs, you can utilize varied means of writing for varied occasions and use cases. Knowing the strengths of each medium can help you write strategically, choosing the method most suited to your needs.

Three Ways of Writing

Writing is at once a process and a product. This is reflected in the two different meanings of “writing”: as a verb it refers to the process, while as a noun it refers to the eventual output. While the output一book, blog post, script etc.一is ultimately what draws eyeballs, the means by which you produce it can affect the feel and flow of the final product.

Changes in writing methods end up influencing the written material, as well as the impression it has on the reader. This is because different methods demand different levels of concentration and engagement on the part of the writer. To get the desired results, you must carefully choose the methods most suited to your workflow.

First, let’s examine an all-too-familiar method which is most naturally conveyed by the word “writing”: handwriting, which dominated literary composition from cuneiform to the dawn of the typewriter.

Handwriting

Typically, handwriting:

• …is slow, as it involves physically sketching out letters.

• …makes you careful and attentive, thereby avoiding errors and sloppiness of thought.

• …has a personal touch, enabling you to visually express yourself in the hand-crafted words.

• …encourages you to think through the whole structure in advance, cutting down on the need to rewrite.

The slow speed of handwriting lends itself to an intentional workflow where you form thoughts fully before writing them down. In a way, writing keeps thought out of sync with its expression, separating them to the benefit of both.

By far the most common method of writing is the keyboard. A step faster than handwriting, typing speeds up the flow. Composition and ideation are more in tune, as you think with your hands.

Keyboard Input

Typing on a keyboard:

• …is more than three times as fast as handwriting, on a word-per-minute basis.

• …enables active thinking, as thoughts can be refined while typing. This makes it good for brainstorming.

• …involves standardized fonts and structure, which ensures legibility and allows for a consistent appearance.

• …editing and correction is seamless, giving you more scope to learn from mistakes. The all-important backspace eliminates the need for erasers.

While keyboard typing is far quicker than handwriting, both are nonverbal, putting manual mediation between the writer and the written product. But the third way of writing, speech-to-text, is the most immediate of the three.

Speech-to-Text

With this means of production, speech-to-text:

• …allows for simplicity and flexibility of usage with instant output.

• …improves communication skills, as you practice speaking and articulation.

• …is portable and accommodates a wide range of users including those with special needs.

• …may help in overcoming writer’s block as you can produce writing just by talking to the device.

Which Means To Use?

Handwriting, keyboard typing, and speech-to-text lend themselves to significantly different workflows. This can affect the overall writing process in several important ways.

1. Handwriting, though slow, leads to better information retention. If the purpose is to learn a new topic, conceive innovative ideas, and understand complex structures without the need for speed then handwriting may be the best option. It requires greater attentive involvement of the writer, which can lead to better cognitive processing of the material. You can also make full use of the 2D paper, drawing arrows, margin notes, or diagrams as needed. Handwriting is also a way to add a personal touch, whether it’s a thank you letter or a hand-painted sign.

2. A PEW survey from 2021 found that 85% of U.S. adults own a smartphone, and 97% own a cellphone of some kind. In addition, about three-quarters own a desktop or laptop, while roughly half own a tablet. If we include on-screen keyboards, this makes keyboard typing by far the most prevalent means of writing. And for good reason: it’s faster than handwriting and makes it easier to store and share files. You can play around with wording and format, allowing for repeated rounds of editing without the headache of adjusting text by hand.

3. For the fluent, speech-to-text is possibly the fastest writing method among the three and in some ways the most convenient. A study comparing speech and keyboard text entry on touchscreen phones found that the English input rate was almost three times higher with speech recognition. If you’re someone who has difficulty adapting to typing, then this method can work wonders. You also get to know how your writing sounds before it’s processed into text, which is an obvious plus where speech-writing or branding is concerned.

However, although speech-to-text processing systems have grown by leaps and bounds, accuracy can still be a problem if the environment is noisy or if the software is unable to understand your accent. Your neighbors in the office or café also may not appreciate your monologuing, requiring you to be a bit more choosy about the place and time in which you work.

Choosing The Right Method For Your Workflow

Prolific writer Stephen King said, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut.”

If you read a lot then the question is: how best to process and convert that information into interesting content? The simple answer is to write more and more. Of course, writing more does not guarantee quality in and of itself. You put some thought into what to write, and also think about which means you use to write at the brainstorming, drafting, and editing phases.

When choosing your means of writing, there is a tradeoff between quality and specificity of content, on the one hand, and quantity written on the other. To get the best of both worlds, the ideal method may be to mix-and-match your means of writing as needed. Though keyboard typing and speech-to-text is fast, it may not always lead to the desired quality and depth of expression, as the fast moving nature of the medium may get overwhelming for the uninitiated. That’s why it’s a good idea to slow down a bit sometimes in the brainstorming phase with some handwritten content. There is no shortcut to quality, and sometimes slow and steady wins the race.

Foundation of Clarity

The good news is that it’s increasingly possible to bring the effectiveness of handwritten content into the digital space through fonts, images, charts, info-graphs, drawings, animation and so on. With the right skills and creative application, handwritten content can be reworked into information-packed, easy-to-understand digital content.

In the end, digital content may far outweigh handwriting in its reach and impact. But that is possible only if the fundamentals of what you wish to express are clear. Handwriting can help you achieve a foundation of clarity, while keyboard writing and speech-to-text can help speed up composition. Moving between different methods as needed enables you to remove the wheat from the chaff.

To sum it up, among the three means of writing, handwriting takes time and effort leading to better conceptual clarity in more polished output. Keyboard typing is fast, convenient and opens a world of creative options to work with. Speech-to-text processing is fastest, while its portability makes writing as simple as talking. Understanding the nuances and effects of the means of writing on the output is key in designing a smooth workflow, one that’s tailored to your needs and which enables you to produce quality and consistency.