Clearly I'm a bit of a typewriter fan, since I use one as a face (and own 3), BUT it was seeing a video of the Freewrite in action a couple years ago that got me thinking "holy shit my adhd needs this" but the price in CAD was, frankly, unjustifiable. A pro of the typewriter, especially if you're willing to fix them up, they can still be got very cheaply. Another is the oh-so-satisfying clack clack clack DING! sounds they make. (Which is also a con, if I want to type at night.)
One big thing the Freewrite has over the typewriter is the sync function. When I type a post on paper, I have to either retype it on my laptop (which is essentially the 2nd draft because I fix mistakes etc as I go) or I take a picture of the page with my phone, highlight all the text and paste into a doc (and the OSR is always janky) to send to myself. So there's extra steps.
Lisa, which machines do you currently have? We've spoken about this before briefly, I think. Love writing on the typewriter - especially my Olympia ultraportable. Bought it in 2020, and it's been a blast writing on it. Comes in handy when the power goes out too.
An Olivetti Lettera 22, an Olympia Splendid 33 and an Olympia SM4. The only one I paid more than $100 CAD for was the Olivetti, but it sure is handsome. Though, honestly, I prefer the "feel" of my Olympias more.
The antique stores in my area used to sell a ton of typewriters (some needing a good fix, others in good working condition) and the Olympias always feel better to write on. I have a grey 1958 Olympia SF. I'd love to find a SM4 one day.
My SM4 was so gross I had to take it completely apart to clean it. Types real nice now though! I had to replace some of the rubber and it could use a new platten, but it's my most used one now. My kids use the Splendid to fart around on and it's great for that. Cute little thing.
I’m super interested in the Freewrite, but like you, I think the price tag is way too hefty. Maybe at some point in the future they’ll realize that and adjust. It can’t be that expensive to make…
To add: your writing WILL change for the better. When I use my typewriter it forces my thoughts to slow, to match the typing speed. On my laptop I type way too fast. There is definitely a difference in voice when I use a typewriter and it's a change I really like.
Great stuff. Didn’t know this existed. I balked at the price but in poking around I found the AlphaSmart3000 which is a 20 year old lower tech version that connects by usb to transfer what you’ve typed to a computer. It literally retypes your work into any file. It’ll hold up to 8 files at a time. I got one refurbished on eBay for $50.
An insanely fun review, that I thoroughly enjoyed. I can’t reconcile the price for my current stage of life, but I was very curious about how this would actually function
Very entertaining article. But I've figured out a cheaper and even more annoying way of accomplishing the same thing: Write on paper or a notebook, but do it in such sloppy and incomprehensible cursive that the lines you wrote ten seconds ago may as well be in another language. That way, you can only think about the line or two you're currently working on, while the rest of the lines are so ridiculous and messy that only a fool would try to decipher it more times than he absolutely had to.
Really, it's sped up my writing more than I expected.
Only problem is when you go to type it all out and finally have to decipher the whole thing...
I also have started using the cheapskate method of just writing the first draft by hand. I still do a little editing here and there, but it's much harder to do this way.
I got the original freewrite years ago and it’s been absolutely wonderful. I’ve written first drafts of novels and scripts and articles on it and it’s been so helpful.
This might just be the best review of anything I've ever read
I’ve heard good things about these. I used to know a romance writer who pounded out a 50k novel every week on one of these.
You sir are living out a dream of mine. Need to get me one of these bad boys
Clearly I'm a bit of a typewriter fan, since I use one as a face (and own 3), BUT it was seeing a video of the Freewrite in action a couple years ago that got me thinking "holy shit my adhd needs this" but the price in CAD was, frankly, unjustifiable. A pro of the typewriter, especially if you're willing to fix them up, they can still be got very cheaply. Another is the oh-so-satisfying clack clack clack DING! sounds they make. (Which is also a con, if I want to type at night.)
One big thing the Freewrite has over the typewriter is the sync function. When I type a post on paper, I have to either retype it on my laptop (which is essentially the 2nd draft because I fix mistakes etc as I go) or I take a picture of the page with my phone, highlight all the text and paste into a doc (and the OSR is always janky) to send to myself. So there's extra steps.
Lisa, which machines do you currently have? We've spoken about this before briefly, I think. Love writing on the typewriter - especially my Olympia ultraportable. Bought it in 2020, and it's been a blast writing on it. Comes in handy when the power goes out too.
An Olivetti Lettera 22, an Olympia Splendid 33 and an Olympia SM4. The only one I paid more than $100 CAD for was the Olivetti, but it sure is handsome. Though, honestly, I prefer the "feel" of my Olympias more.
The antique stores in my area used to sell a ton of typewriters (some needing a good fix, others in good working condition) and the Olympias always feel better to write on. I have a grey 1958 Olympia SF. I'd love to find a SM4 one day.
My SM4 was so gross I had to take it completely apart to clean it. Types real nice now though! I had to replace some of the rubber and it could use a new platten, but it's my most used one now. My kids use the Splendid to fart around on and it's great for that. Cute little thing.
I got my oldest nephew into writing on a typewriter. He uses the bulky elective smith corona I still have. He loves that thing.
Hook em while they're young!
I’m super interested in the Freewrite, but like you, I think the price tag is way too hefty. Maybe at some point in the future they’ll realize that and adjust. It can’t be that expensive to make…
I’m up for a heist at Freewrite factory if you are Andrei
Oh yes, let’s go. We need a getaway driver. I invoke Tom Fish. He knows his routes.
To add: your writing WILL change for the better. When I use my typewriter it forces my thoughts to slow, to match the typing speed. On my laptop I type way too fast. There is definitely a difference in voice when I use a typewriter and it's a change I really like.
Great stuff. Didn’t know this existed. I balked at the price but in poking around I found the AlphaSmart3000 which is a 20 year old lower tech version that connects by usb to transfer what you’ve typed to a computer. It literally retypes your work into any file. It’ll hold up to 8 files at a time. I got one refurbished on eBay for $50.
An insanely fun review, that I thoroughly enjoyed. I can’t reconcile the price for my current stage of life, but I was very curious about how this would actually function
Very entertaining article. But I've figured out a cheaper and even more annoying way of accomplishing the same thing: Write on paper or a notebook, but do it in such sloppy and incomprehensible cursive that the lines you wrote ten seconds ago may as well be in another language. That way, you can only think about the line or two you're currently working on, while the rest of the lines are so ridiculous and messy that only a fool would try to decipher it more times than he absolutely had to.
Really, it's sped up my writing more than I expected.
Only problem is when you go to type it all out and finally have to decipher the whole thing...
I also have started using the cheapskate method of just writing the first draft by hand. I still do a little editing here and there, but it's much harder to do this way.
This is the real S-Tier Gigabrain play
Methinks 'tis quite a fine and fancy little thing, and I might have to get me one of them thar freewrite alphas.
I love this product category, but I'd love even more for some random company in Shenzhen to just undercut this price by like 75% lol.
Don't really know if this would actually be helpful for me or not. Would be interested in finding out though.
I have used a Freewrite Alpha for a couple of years and it is the real deal. I pull it out when I’m writing fiction.
“Freewrite Alpha came to put drafts onto silicon and chew bubblegum, and it threw the bubblegum out because it was unnecessary.” Fantastic review.
I got the original freewrite years ago and it’s been absolutely wonderful. I’ve written first drafts of novels and scripts and articles on it and it’s been so helpful.