What Harry Potter Can Teach Us About How to Buy the Perfect Typewriter

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  • Опубликовано: 30 окт 2024

Комментарии • 16

  • @AtelierDBurgoyne
    @AtelierDBurgoyne 2 года назад +2

    Very true. I like the metaphor of the wand choosing the witch or wizard.
    To someone asking "what typewriter should I buy," I'd say try typing on many different ones and see which suits you better.
    Daniel

    • @TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco
      @TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco  2 года назад +1

      Exactly, Daniel. With typewriters--as with so many things--it's not true that one size fits all. The best work gets done on this machines, I think, when you find a connection that's unique to you and enjoy it, and therefore the work. Very much appreciate your good words.

  • @daveleitz9107
    @daveleitz9107 Год назад +2

    I think we're all guilty of fantasizing how great things would be if only we had a certain object, which in your case was a particular brand of typewriter. I know from personal experience how film cameras once occupied that special place for me. Except, I couldn't afford a Leica or Hasselblad and instead had to settle for Olympus and Canon. And Rolleicord and Pentax. And cameras came and went. I could see the same thing happening with typewriters. You're lucky to have an actual typewriter shop nearby!

    • @TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco
      @TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco  Год назад +1

      All very true, David. And well put. Which cameras did you settle on?

    • @daveleitz9107
      @daveleitz9107 Год назад +1

      @@TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco While I still have an Olympus OM-10 with its nifty fifty mm lens, I've been using a Nikon D-300 for about a decade now. Film was fun, and I enjoyed shooting and developing Kodak Tri-X & Ilford HP5+. Even had a darkroom at one point! But I sold off all my film cameras except the Olympus.

    • @TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco
      @TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco  Год назад +1

      @@daveleitz9107 I don’t know from cameras so I’ll assume you made the right choice. I do know that I found a sapphire gray late 1940s/early 1950s Smith Corona Sterling in a thrift shop today. Not bad condition for the price but it would need a few hours in the shop to bring it back to par. Hours I should spend writing. So I passed. What is that? Maturity? Ah, well. I already have so many typewriters. But the stories have to get finished.

  • @johnandrewmunroe
    @johnandrewmunroe Год назад +1

    Hits the spot every time. Keep it coming!

  • @dadtype2339
    @dadtype2339 8 месяцев назад +1

    Absolutely good point, and I, (because I matter lol) also agree. When you have that connection its amazing.
    For example, I wanted to get back into typewriters and had been doing some beginner research on them, and I ducked into a pawn shop on a lark and there was a beautiful typewriter, and I need a typewriter that's willing to trek into the jungles of writing both short stories as well as full books, serious novels. And there this was, I look it over not a scratch on it it was super clean it looked brand new.
    It had a price on it for 115 bucks I talked the guy down to 60, and that went like this, I'm looking it over for a long time, I test it out and it typed beautiful, the guy says to me, what price will it take for you to take this home? I said not 115.
    He says okay how about 90?
    I looked it over and stayed quiet he then said okay you tell me?
    I said I will buy this from you right now for 40 bucks.
    He said sold. And next thing I knew I was at home looking at it, and worked on it, it made me feel good, and it still does. Took a little while to get used to her, but then she's a dream.
    I purposely withheld what it was I until now. And I hear a lot of people say not to buy this Typewriter for anything more than wrting a letter with, but I disagree, and it might be because I have such a strong connection to it, but I will say after 10 or 15 pages tou feel it in your hands that you have WORKED!
    and I hate the fact it has no paper stays. Other then that, I switch it to light and off We go.
    It's a 1968 Royal Aristocrat, and from the serial number, according to the Typewriter Database, they didn't make very many in Blue that year. Yes they have in other years, but not in '68.
    It's something of a rare Aristocrat.
    It spoke to me then and it still speaks to me today.
    Lile I said people say it's an awful typewriter to write novels on, the prolonged use tires the hands, sure it's no Hermes 3000, but it's a serious machine. I named mine
    The Blue Lady McBeth. Or just Lady for short. Lol seems to fit the personality of the typewriter, and I found out after I bought it, that I apparently made a mistake buying something that wouldn't be good for writing novels on. Well, I disagree and like I said it may be the connection I have with it. But I think if you can do 10 or 15 pages a day on anything that's a good machine!
    I don't know if I would have still bought it or not if I had known that because of the strong connection I had with it. And I don't typically tend to listen to others on opinions like that when it's based on how one feels about something. I tend to make my own mind up. I think, knowing all that I might have still bought it just because the pull was so strong. And you can type reasonable fast on it for a fully mechanical typewriter. Not as fast as an electric or computer of course.
    Yes you don't choose the Typewriter, the typewriter chooses you....very well put, thank you ❤

    • @TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco
      @TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco  8 месяцев назад

      Hi @dadtype2339.
      What could I add to that? You said it all better than I did.
      Cheers to you and your Aristocrat!

  • @DavidAlastairHayden
    @DavidAlastairHayden Год назад +1

    Great video! And you are absolutely correct. There is a lot more difference in feel between each typewriter. My first typewriter was a Hermes Rocket. I wrote a novel on that one. I have twelve now, including two electrics. I’m trying to figure out which one I’m going to write an upcoming novel with. I have an Olympia SM-3 exactly like yours. That’s probably the one I’ll use. Or maybe the Lettera 32 if I can fix the bell.
    My favorite is my 1929 Royal Portable that’s in nearly perfect condition. I write small bits here and there with it, but I’m not sure if I could write a novel with it. Not because of the feel so much as it’s so lovely I don’t want to use it too much!
    I wasn’t able to get in tune with several others though, including a Hermes 3000 Script and a Smith Corona. Hard to say why. They’re fine machines. And I have several older desktop models I’m repairing, 1930’s machines. I can’t see myself writing much on them.

    • @TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco
      @TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco  Год назад +1

      Always nice to have the proper tool available when a need arises, David. Sounds like you've got your system down. The wand and the wizard are one. Wishing you happy writing. Thanks for watching!

  • @lukjad007
    @lukjad007 2 года назад +1

    My Hermes 3000 is in the mail, I think that it will be what I'm looking for. But I do know that I know what I thought I wanted and what I actually wanted in typewriters were different, and that's something I need to internalize.

    • @TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco
      @TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco  2 года назад +1

      We could apply your statement to many things, Luke, and it would be just as wise, I think. I appreciate it. Wishing you a good fit with your Hermes.

  • @Emouse823yt_MC
    @Emouse823yt_MC 2 года назад +2

    Love "when Germans say nice things" lol!