It took me a while to get this update out because I was without a good, dedicated writing space and couldn’t be bothered to set one up with various other projects that were taking place.
This is the first post that touches on what I was intending to do with this blog in that I just want practice with sending my work somewhere. I want to grow accustomed to the idea that this stuff is available to be seen. Sometimes it’s not a comfortable thought.
Also, excitingly, I think I’ve devised a method by which I can finally fix the tilted text. When I saw what I could do, it made me feel like an idiot for not realizing it sooner. Then again, I didn’t grow up working with typewriters so maybe I have to rediscover some techniques on my own.
Of course I still know how to use a word processor to just get something done. But I thought reporting on the result of this little experiment had some merit.
We can use the abstracted idea of the page to type a bunch of stuff out and get work done that way but it doesn’t mean that it’s the best fit for all situations. I think examining the manner in which we work has significant value.
I’m actually going to start this with some non-typewritten text because I sort of hope this one is more easily found given that it raises some questions.
Also, because I couldn’t figure out how to properly encapsulate the topic in the title. I was leafing through a reprint of the old user’s manual and discovered a recommendation that surprised me a little bit. It also demonstrated, without question, how little I actually know about the usage of these machines even though not that much time has passed since they fell out of common usage.
I find knowledge loss, even something kind of inconsequential, to be a little alarming.
So, as promised, this is the link to the Olivetti Lettera 22 Typewriter Repair Bible. I picked up a copy of that and this more general version, and they’ve already proven useful in filling in some gaps in what I knew about typewriters. Like, for instance, giving me insight into how the double whitespacing issue I’ve been dealing with (evidenced above in a few spots) is a case of user error and the way to fix it is to get good.
I also have a few machines sitting around that are in line for some restoration and I didn’t want to wade into that battle without equipping myself appropriately.
I wasn’t particularly satisfied with how I worded some of the stuff above, on the actual page, but learning to live with that has been doing wonders for just getting the work published. I have noticed that I’m making fewer errors as I write but I’m not really sacrificing any speed. That’s been an exciting process.
This one wasn’t just tilted (I’m working on it, still), but in a grand stroke of comedy the scanner ate up the left side of the document. Nothing like suggesting that this stuff is weirdly durable and then passing it through a gentle machine that somehow wrecks part of it.
Anyway, it’s still easily human-readable. There is a gulf of difference between “machine-digestible” and “human-readable” and this, presuming it doesn’t further rip apart over time, will persist pretty well.
Sure wish I could fix the tilting issue, though. Nothing like having your work represented through time with a hard slope.
Today I discovered that the tilted text isn’t an artifact of the scanner, which is great! Unfortunately, it’s a byproduct of how I’m loading paper into the typewriter. I’m a little biased towards my left hand since I crank the platen around with my right. I can probably fix that more easily than trying to correct all these documents after the fact. At least it’s an interesting problem.
I wouldn’t have noticed it if it weren’t for scanning it in and looking at it devoid of the context of the physical thing itself. I feel like that is, again, strangely appropriate given the subject matter of the post itself.
I feel like I’m getting the hang of making fewer errors. It requires more concentration than I’m used to bringing to bear to be able to pull that off. A few mistakes still aren’t preventing me from publishing! Mostly I don’t want to use a ton of paper to get something just right.
I’m thinking about maybe setting up to stream some typing work on Twitch, somehow or another. I envision it as kind of a place to hang out and maybe enjoy the (admittedly quaint) sound of a typewriter going to work on the page. I’m not fully sold on the idea yet, though.
I can’t believe that the Olivetti decided to pitch a fit while I was writing about how I perceived printers to be temperamental. I know I made some errors in spelling up there but the star of the show is really how egregiously bad the ribbon messed up (it didn’t switch feed direction as intended, the little eyelet that’s supposed to swap it over got stuck) and how it inserted an extra space a few times.
It was still more fun to use, though.
I think it might be time to clear up one of the goals of this little “post typewritten documents online!” project. Aside from knowing that I can’t really play the SEO game, so I’m trying my level best to produce something maybe you’d want to read, the goal is to get used to producing work and publishing it.
This one, in particular, would’ve been something that I would’ve preferred to refine and keep back for a while. From experience, I know that means the article would’ve died a slow death lingering among files on my PC somewhere. It’s definitely not the most valuable article I’ve ever produced, but getting over the trepidation with regard to publishing work is valuable along a different axis.
I’ll probably discuss that more in some upcoming typewritten page or two.
I thought it might be neat to answer the writing prompt with a typewritten document. Couldn’t hurt, right?
Immediately upon completing that page, I added a new long-term goal: dramatically improve my typing accuracy. You don’t know how often you use “Backspace” until that key doesn’t delete unfortunately-placed characters anymore. I had a few pages with errors so egregious that I actually had to start over. I try to keep that to a minimum otherwise the fun wears off. That means a few errors sneaked into this one but they were small enough that I felt I could live with them.
I feel like this one is slightly less slanted? I’m making progress with this weird little workflow.
For those interested, this was produced on a Royal Quiet DeLuxe from, near as I can tell, sometime in the late 40s. I might be wrong about that!
Anyway, we’re beginning to wander away from using the typewriter to discuss the typewriter, which will be ideal. I’m not into the idea of endlessly navel-gazing about the tool that produces the work. I’m working from some procession of ideas that make sense to me, though, and I just have to get some of this out of the way, first.
At least one mistake sneaked through on this one, but such is life. I’m not terribly interested in going through another sheet of paper to correct it, so just imagine the missing “o” in the word “philosophy” above.
Also, my scanner seems to want to put a bit of a tilt on these things but I imagine that’s just because it’s my first day using it and the alignment is my problem. The rest of them won’t be tilted that way, even if I end up having to manipulate them post-scan.
In accordance with the topic of the post itself? It sure is strange to have computer-formatted text on a webpage hanging out below a typewritten page. This feels nice and modern. Up there? It feels weirdly antiquated even though I know the words are mine from just a bit ago. It’s kind of neat!
Anyway, next up is indeed the topic hinted at in the last sentence!
Typewritten 