For Henry James, too, the typewriter altered his mental habits, as McLuhan
remarked in his essay on the typewriter-though in James's case, ironically,
this was because he found he preferred dictating to a secretary over
composing by hand.
P
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Poetryetc: poetry and poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Douglas Barbour
> Sent: 10 July 2007 15:50
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Ted Hughes on the dangers of word processing
>
> Of course, this reminds me of Olson's arguments about the typewriter, &
> yes the page may appear differently to the writer both with that, &
> with the screen. I started writing by hand, & although absolutely taken
> by Olson's ideas, & the New American Poetics, I continued to do so, but
> also thought of my writing in a way attached to the typewritten page,
> so saw the spacing that way as I wrote -- but was therefore thinking
> space the way you say you do, Roger.
>
> Which is perhaps to say that habits learned on one writing technology
> can be carried across to others....?
>
> Doug
> On 10-Jul-07, at 5:08 AM, Roger Day wrote:
>
> > For me, the main effect has been on the editing process. It is far
> > easier to edit on the computer - to shift things around, to map out
> > the white-space. I wonder if the visibility of white-space started
> > with the introduction of a mechanical means of production? It's
> > easier now to structure the poem - longer editing processes because
> > it's easier and enables procrastination - but also easier to place
> the
> > words on the page, the poem as sculpture. I think this only starts
> > with type-writer.
> >
> > Also, there is now less of a gap between a poet producing a poem and
> > seeing it in print; compare and contrast the means of production for
> > Chaucer with Eliot with Prynne. I wonder how he writes his stuff? By
> > hand? I'd have to say Cris Cheek as a modern exemplar.
> Douglas Barbour
> 11655 - 72 Avenue NW
> Edmonton Ab T6G 0B9
> (780) 436 3320
> http://www.ualberta.ca/~dbarbour/
>
> Latest book: Continuations (with Sheila E Murphy)
> http://www.uap.ualberta.ca/UAP.asp?LID=41&bookID=664
>
>
> You may allow me moments
> not monuments, I being
> content. It is little,
> but it is little enough.
>
> John Newlove
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