L.M. Sacasas on Instant Messenger Over Instant Messenger

I have found that writing on a computer fragments my thinking. When I write by hand or by typewriter, I have to plan out the whole sentence or paragraph before I start writing it, because if I write myself into a corner I cannot so easily erase, modify, or cut and paste.

When I write, I get to observe the transition from this fluid mode of thinking to the rigid. As I type, I’m often in a fluid mode—writing at the speed of thought. I feel confident about what I’m saying. But as soon as I stop, the thoughts solidify, rigid on the page, and, as I read what I’ve written, I see cracks spreading through my ideas. What se

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