The definitive way to keep focus when writing with a word processor

If your daily job is writing a lot on a computer, such as novels or nonfiction, you probably experience some sense of focus losing writing on your preferred editor.

Instead, writing with a pen on paper keep high the focus on the flow of the ideas. The same happens writing on an old-fashioned typewriter.

Did I wonder why? Why writing on a computer it is easier to lose focus, whilst writing on paper is not?

I’ve got a reasonable guess on why. The reason why is not the paper. Instead, I guess that the why is the eyes. Better, the movement of the eyes.

What happens when you open your preferred word processor on a white page, by default? Typing on your keyboard, the text flows from right to left. And your eyes have to follow the flow of the text as well.

What instead happens writing with a pen or a typewriter? With a pen, your eyes have to follow the tip of the pen: that’s very easy. With a typewriter, much better, the eyes remain firm and focused on the centre of the typewriter roller.

I googled around to find some no-distraction word processor replicating the behaviour of a typewriter. Unfortunately, the tools I’ve tested didn’t support such a feature.

So, I decide to wear the hacker hat looking for a way to get the same results with the actual word processors. And the solution was very simple, as any innovative idea.

Here is the solution: write the draft of your next novel or nonfiction with the alignment on the right. That’s it.

Writing with the alignment on the right activated, your eyes will remain stuck to the right margin of the white paper. According to my experience, this simple trick keeps high the focus on the flow of the ideas that, very easily, will move from your brain to the computer.

It’s easy, don’t you? Would you give it a try and the giving feedback in the comments?