Writing Is a Physical Activity
This morning I noticed something small but persistent: I write faster and with fewer mistakes on my iPad than on my MacBook Pro. At first, it seemed like a straightforward device question. Maybe it was the smaller keyboard. Maybe it was just the iPad itself.
But that turned out to be the wrong question.
What actually matters is where the device sits in relation to my body.
When I write on my iPad, it’s usually on the couch or in a chair, with the keyboard in my lap. When I write on my MacBook, I’m almost always at my desk. Same brain, different posture. And the difference is obvious. Writing at lap level, even with the MacBook, I’m faster and more accurate.
My “desk” is an old kitchen table, which is probably higher than a desk meant for writing. That height subtly changes everything: wrist angle, shoulder tension, how much I have to think about the keyboard instead of the words.
This has made something clear to me. Writing isn’t just mental. It’s physical. Posture, comfort, and position matter more than the specific device I’m using.
So now I think about writing in terms of posture first. Lap-level is writing mode. The desk is for editing, organizing, and publishing. When the work changes, I move. The device comes along for the ride.
It’s a small shift, but it explains a lot.