Just wait until November, and thousands of people around the world will be "seriously going to write a novel on these things." In case you don't know, November is National Novel Writing Month. (It long ago went international, but the name hasn't changed.) The goal is to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Yes, I know that's a very short novel; what you end up with is a first draft, and that's the point. Check out http://www.nanowrimo.org.
How do typewriters fit in? Well, most WriMos (as we call ourselves) write our nanos (the novels, duh) on various computers, since we will be uploading them to have the word-count verified. However, there is charming group of Luddites, the Typewriter Brigade, who really, truly, enthusiastically, "seriously write" on these things. They verify their word-count in different ways: running their pages through a scanner and using OCR, or having someone else do a count and vouching for them.
I've done this three years in a row, and finished twice, meaning I have two rough drafts to edit. The third year I dropped out because I had become involved with an off-line writing group. But I will try again this year, because it's fun! And hard. The fun part is knowing you're not alone, that thousands of people are working away at it just like you are. They connect on the forums, and meet up locally for write-ins.
Now, back to the Typewriter Brigade. There are always people who would love to join it, but can't find a working typewriter. If anyone on this forum has a machine you'd like to pass on, here's what you can do: Get a username and password for NanoWriMo. Post in the Nano Technology forum, or the regional forum for where you live. Offer your typewriter for sale, trade, or as a freebie in need of a good home. An aspiring writer will gladly take it off your hands. There is always a Typewriter Brigade thread or three in the Nano Technology forum, too.
NaNoWriMo is not just kick-in-the-pants, finish-that-draft-at-long-last, adrenaline rush fun. The good people who started it, over a decade ago, run a Young Writers Program that is part of NaNoWriMo, encouraging kids to write for fun. They offer writing kits to teachers and schools that want to take part. Some kids write their nanos alongside their parents!
I just added a link to an article about the Young Writers Program: http://www.edutopia.org/arts-national-novel-writing-month
Last year over a hundred thousand people all over the world took part; every year, there are more.
Got a book in you? Got plans for November? Thanksgiving, you say? Hey, that's a four-day weekend . . . you can get a lot of writing done. Let someone else cook the turkey this year.
No, I do not work for NaNoWriMo or The Office of Letters and Light (the organization that runs it). I just had a good time. Hard, but good. With my laptop. But I do have a typewriter still sitting in my closet . . . maybe I'll join the Typewriter Brigade this year. Come along!
