This should be obvious.

You must learn to manipulate a pencil, a typing machine or a

computerised word processor (always makes me think of a Cuisinart!)

with enough skill that you can read what you wrote without embarrassment.

Since, if you are actually going to follow through with truly cranking

out three or so hundred pages, you are going to have to stare

at your writing for quite a bit, you might as well make it easy

on yourself at the beginning. Learn to format your writing

in such a way that later drafts won't have to be remanufactured

too much.

Learn about margins and spacing.

If you are actually writing your writing, scribble in a manner that is

comfortable to you, but not so comfortable that you risk indecipherability.

But don't get too formal, either. Legibility does not require calligraphy.

Keep in mind that you might like someone else to read your writing

also, so don't fall back on the old habit of believing that if you

can read it, someone else should be able to, too.

It ain't necessarily so.

Don't get too caught up in your equipment. A pencil and a legal pad

or a college rule notebook or spiralbound should be sufficient.

If the muse should strike you at an odd moment, don't be afraid

to write on any available medium.

I've been known to scrawl a good phrase on my fold-down window shade

in my vehicle with a permanent marker!



The whole bruhaha in a nutshell: If it can't be read with ease, most people won't try.