I got started writing on my Dad's manual typewriter...

[Dien Rice]

When I was a kid, I used to love typing on one of my Dad's typewriters.

My Dad was a fan of the Hermes typewriter. He had maybe about three of them, I think I've still got them! (I don't use them... I'm not even sure where you can buy typewriter ribbons any more, you can probably get them somewhere online...)

Here's what one of his Hermes typewriters looks like...



(Clicking on the picture takes you to the Wikipedia entry...)

Every now and then I try to "relive" that manual typewriting experience.

I bought myself a few mechanical keyboards, which I use every now and then. I do like them! So I'm glad I have them around, even though I don't always use them...

(I usually work on a laptop, so an extra keyboard takes up more desktop space...)

However, every now and then I look into "typewriter simulators" that you can find online...

The problem with many of them is - you can't save your work!

So, there's no point using them for _real_ writing... It's just something you do for fun, where you're happy to throw your work away!

However, I've now found two online typewriter simulators, where you can save your work...

They have the typewriter sounds! They don't have the tactical feel, though, so in that sense they are not as good as a mechanical keyboard (where you have both the sounds, and the "feel" of the click of the keys)...

I feel that writing this way actually helps me to focus. With the typewriting sounds, and the tactical feel (when I have that), I am more "immersed" in the writing experience! (I'm not sure if others experience that too, or if I'm just weird that way...)

Anyway, here are two online "typewriter simulators" where you an save your work afterwards (such as by copying the text, then pasting it somewhere else)...

The first (which I'm using right now as I write this) is BigHugeLabs' Writer...

https://writer.bighugelabs.com

You have to register (for free), but I believe it then automatically saves your writing, so you won't lose it...

There are all kinds of options - to access them, click on the little "gear wheel" symbol at the bottom left of the screen, when you're on the site...

The "default" color scheme is green on black - like an old terminal screen (for those who have used them). However, this can be changed to, for example, black letters on a white background, to more closely simulate typing on a typewriter. (You have to type in "000000" for black, and "ffffff" for white.)

You also have the choice of manual or electric typewriter sounds (or none)...

The other online typewriter simulator I found, where you can save your work, is Calmly Writer...

https://www.calmlywriter.com/online/

You can use this without registration (I don't think you even can register). However, that means you should "copy" your work every now and then, and perhaps paste it somewhere, to be sure it doesn't get lost!

I found that, for me, Calmly Writer didn't have the typewriting sounds on by default. However, if you click on the thing that looks a little bit like a leaf in the top left of the screen, when you're on the website, you can choose "Settings", where you can turn typewriter sounds on or off (and a lot of other settings)...

Just thought I'd share that!

A little peek into my (possibly) strange brain, and just a little of what I discovered...

Best wishes!

Dien