overlaylink

Electric Typewriter vs. Freewrite: Which Writing Tool is Better?

July 23, 2018 | 2 min read

Do you know what writers Ernest Hemingway and Danielle Steel have in common? They couldn't be more different in subject and style. But when it came to choosing a writing instrument, both chose a typewriter.

Of course, home computers weren't around when Hemingway crafted his masterpieces. But a surprising number of modern writers avoid working on computers. Humorist P.J. O'Rourke prefers an IBM Selectric electric typewriter instead of a computer because it "doesn't get in the way" of the writing process. In other words, O'Rourke doesn't like the distractions of using a computer.

A lot of modern writers stay away from computers and opt for a basic "words on paper" approach. Some write first drafts in longhand. Some use typewriters. Along with the "no-distraction back-to-basics" feeling, writers like Steel find that typing on a mechanical keyboard to be more conducive to creativity.

If you're a writer struggling to work on a computer, you have better options. One is an electronic typewriter. Another is the Freewrite. The Freewrite is a tool designed from the ground up for writers. How do the two compare? Here's a rundown.

Electric Typewriter Features

The best electric typewriter models provide writers with a host of options. Typical features include line drawing, correction memory, word and character erase, underlining, automatic carriage returns, programmable tabulation memory and bidirectional printing functions. Many also include removable storage capabilities.

The Freewrite Writing Tool

The Freewrite combines the simplicity of a typewriter with the benefits of modern digital documents. It retains the tactile feel of a typewriter with a mechanical keyboard. But instead of having to retype paper documents to get them into the computer, the Freewrite’s documents are already digital. Documents save on the device and automatically sync to Dropbox, Evernote, or Google Drive so you don't have to worry about computer crashes or power outages. Files upload with 256-bit SSL encryption. Every Freewrite element works to get the creative juices flowing. It's lightweight with a stow-able handle. Take it to the park, find inspiration and hit the keys on the full-size mechanical keyboard.

What's the Verdict?

If you're looking for a way to put an end to distractions, amplify creativity and boost productivity, the Freewrite is your best option. With the Freewrite, it won't take long to find your writing groove. And once you're there, you'll stay there.

January 28, 2026 1 min read

Write every day with the Freewrite team in February.

January 09, 2026 2 min read

A new year means a whole new crop of work is entering the public domain. And that means endless opportunities for retellings, spoofs, adaptations, and fan fiction.

December 30, 2025 3 min read

It’s Freewrite’s favorite time of year. When dictionaries around the world examine language use of the previous year and select a β€œWord of the Year.”

Of course, there are many different dictionaries in use in the English language, and they all have different ideas about what word was the most influential or saw the most growth in the previous year. They individually review new slang and culturally relevant vocabulary, examine spikes or dips in usage, and pour over internet trend data.

Let’s see what some of the biggest dictionaries decided for 2025. And read to the end for a chance to submit your own Word of the Year β€” and win a Freewrite gift card.

[SUBMIT YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR]


Merriam-Webster: "slop"

Merriam-Webster chose "slop" as its Word of the Year for 2025 to describe "all that stuff dumped on our screens, captured in just four letters."

The dictionary lists "absurd videos, off-kilter advertising images, cheesy propaganda, fake news that looks pretty real, junky AI-written books, 'workslop' reports that waste coworkers’ time … and lots of talking cats" as examples of slop.

The original sense of the word "slop" from the 1700s was β€œsoft mud” and eventually evolved to mean "food waste" and "rubbish." 2025 linked the term to AI, and the rest is history.

Honorable mentions: conclave, gerrymander, touch grass, performative, tariff, 67.

Dictionary.com: "67"

The team at Dictionary.com likes to pick a word that serves as β€œa linguistic time capsule, reflecting social trends and global events that defined the year.”

For 2025, they decided that β€œword” was actually a number. Or two numbers, to be exact.

If you’re an old, like me, and don’t know many school-age children, you may not have heard β€œ67” in use. (Note that this is not β€œsixty-seven,” but β€œsix, seven.”)

Dictionary.com claims the origin of β€œ67” is a song called β€œDoot Doot (6 7)” by Skrilla, quickly made infamous by viral TikTok videos, most notably featuring a child who will for the rest of his life be known as the β€œ6-7 Kid.” But according to my nine-year-old cousin, the origins of something so mystical can’t ever truly be known.

(My third grade expert also demonstrated the accompanying signature hand gesture, where you place both hands palms up and alternately move up and down.)

And if you happen to find yourself in a fourth-grade classroom, watch your mouth, because there’s a good chance this term has been banned for the teacher’s sanity.

Annoyed yet? Don’t be. As Dictionary.com points out, 6-7 is a rather delightful example at how fast language can develop as a new generation joins the conversation.

Dictionary.com honorable mentions: agentic, aura farming, broligarchy, clanker, Gen Z stare, kiss cam, overtourism, tariff, tradwife.

Oxford Dictionary: "rage bait"

With input from more than 30,000 users and expert analysis, Oxford Dictionary chose "rage bait" for their word of the year.

Specifically, the dictionary pointed to 2025’s news cycle, online manipulation tactics, and growing awareness of where we spend our time and attention online.

While closely paralleling its etymological cousin "clickbait," rage bait more specifically denotes content that evokes anger, discord, or polarization.

Oxford's experts report that use of the term has tripled in the last 12 months.

Oxford Dictionary's honorable mentions:aura farming, biohack.

Cambridge Dictionary: "parasocial"

The Cambridge Dictionary examined a sustained trend of increased searches to choose "parasocial" as its Word of the Year.

Believe it or not, this term was coined by sociologists in 1956, combining β€œsocial” with the Greek-derived prefix para-, which in this case means β€œsimilar to or parallel to, but separate from.”

But interest in and use of the term exploded this year, finally moving from a mainly academic context to the mainstream.

Cambridge Dictionary's honorable mentions: slop, delulu, skibidi, tradwife

Freewrite: TBD

This year, the Freewrite Fam is picking our own Word of the Year.

Click below to submit what you think the Word of 2025 should be, and we'll pick one submission to receive a Freewrite gift card.

[SUBMIT HERE]Β 

--

Sources