Longhand notes and focus.
When I embarked on the adventure of writing my debut psychological crime thriller, ‘The Profiler’s Shadow’, I instinctively took to writing down notes on paper. Be that, in notebooks, printing paper, a piece of paper towel, the back of a receipt, and at least on one occasion, in the palm of my hand. Writing down ideas stimulated my brain into action, got me to think through ‘what ifs’ and character development, story arcs and everything in between.
I don’t plot too much ahead of time, preferring to discover as I go. Writing longhand helps me in this process of taking an idea and playing around with it, without feeling committed. The process is somewhat slower, which gives me ample time to savour how a phrase, sentence, paragraph, or a chapter will impact the entire storyline. This is exactly what I did on the first draft of my debut novel. I admit that there’s a special feeling of accomplishment in seeing the result of a notebook, or three, fill up. For me, it was a tremendous self-esteem boost. Writing longhand allows my creativity to flow without distractions.
This brings me to focus. When I write on the computer, it’s easy for me to get distracted, and I do, frequently. If it’s not social media, checking emails, or chatting with a friend who just came online. None of the above is bad, but between them and the temptation of editing and grammar software, my productivity is severely dialled back. Editing as I type has become an encumbrance, and only longhand writing frees my mind from getting overly focused on the wrong target. I love seeing the plot mistakes, throw-away characters, and ideas remain in a notebook, crossed out but not entirely forgotten. Who knows, they might be useful later.
The fact that I wrote down in notebooks the first draft of my debut novel, ‘The Profiler’s Shadow’, gave me the confidence needed to follow through with many other drafts of the same story, bringing it to fruition. In the end, I had a completed manuscript and a publisher who will print it in November 2026.
Here’s the thing, though: when I started my second novel, a sequel, I went straight to writing on the computer. I managed about ten chapters before feeling bogged down. Yes, I had a few life emergencies that slowed down my writing time, but that wasn't the problem. I couldn’t find my way back to the characters, couldn’t immerse myself in that universe. Not that I didn’t give it my best effort, I did, but … and then I realized what kept me out. The constant editing, the worry about grammar and structure had become invasive. I had become a prisoner of access to online editing tools. Of course, these tools can be life changers for a writer. My mistake was in losing my sense of what needed to be written down.
So, as of yesterday, I’m back to writing down longhand notes. The process is messy, filled with scribbles, crossed-out words, and ideas, and yet beautiful, though a tad chaotic. Focus on the story I want to tell has returned, and my imagination is once again burning bright.
Joelle
