Back in 2020, I posted about trying the “writing in comic sans” hack.
And being that it’s NaNoWriMo and the goal is to get words on the screen, I wanted to post an update of what writing a year in Comic Sans was like.
First, I don’t use Comic Sans anymore. I use a variant called “Comic Neue”. It’s like the older sibling of Comic Sans. A little more mature but still having that playful radiance of comic sans.
Does it actually help you write?
Since that post, in the span of three months I finished the first draft (73k words) of a speculative fiction novel AND started a serial and updated twice a week, doing at least 10k words weekly if not more. When I switched in the original post, I doubled my word count to 7k/week and as I used it through the months that number kept going up, even though most weeks I only wrote twice a week.
The Benefits of Doing NaNoWriMo
NaNoWriMo will always be dear to my heart. I’ve been doing it for years and enjoy it so much I decided to apply and become a Municipal Liason for my area.
1. Meet Other Local Writers
Online writing groups are fantastic. I know, I’m a member of several. The local groups are also near and dear to my heart because we can meet up in person and enjoy the local coffee scene while working on our novels. There’s something special about the camaraderie of NaNoWriMo in November where we’re all working toward the same goal at the same time. That sort of magic can’t be replicated any other time of the year.
2. Get Back Into or Start a HABIT of Writing Regularly
Creative habits seem like they’re hard to build up and easy to break. Because NaNoWriMo is a lofty but doable goal, it helps put you back in the mindset and habit of writing.
This is the first NaNoWriMo season I’m going to be writing in Comic Sans. Despite my packed schedule, I want to try for the 50K. I know I probably won’t make it but getting close to it will satisfy me.
3. Have the courage to try something new
Sometimes we have that One Idea that isn’t quite commercial. Or maybe it’s something out of your toolkit and you’re not sure if you want to try it. NaNoWriMo novels usually end up needing a lot of work. They also have a time constraint and daily word count push. What better time to try something new? You’re forced to push it out without editing and work on it. If it doesn’t work out, well, now you know and you only lost a month’s worth of time versus the many months that may occur outside NaNoWriMo.
NaNoWriMo Is The Perfect Time to Attempt Writing in Comic Sans
Not only will you reap the benefits of an inflated word count but you’ll also reap the benefits of starting a writing habit and making connections with other creators. When creatives gather, the inspiration follows. 🙂
Happy Writing! I hope you have a successful and productive November!
Desi
The Original Post: The Magic of Comic Sans (The Writing Hack that Actually Works!)
Oh, Comic Sans. You can visualize it just by reading the font. And perhaps, just reading that name, your blood pressure spiked by the sheer force of hate.
Me. It’s me. My blood pressure is spiking.
Look, it’s an ugly font (to me). It’s childish and immature (to me). Unprofessional (to me).
But since I am at winter break from school, I wanted to get the first draft of Proserpina’s Lie (tentative title) done. And to do that, I needed something, anything, to get words on paper.
here be the (slightly crusty) memes
But really? Comic Sans?
There are a lot of people who make a living preying on writers. They promise publication and fame for hefty fees. It’s not enough to make money off books anymore. You have to sell dreams — your success — to other writers. This? It promised words. Just beautiful words.
It’s also free. You don’t have to pay for Comic Sans. It is available in whatever writing application you use. It takes less than a minute to switch. And what did I have to lose? If it didn’t work, I could just switch it back to my old font. (Fantasque Sans, for the curious)
I have a pretty in-depth writing log.
These are my stats pre and post change (marked in pink):
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
| 1066 | 57 | 1078 | 831 | 61 | 262 | 0 |
| 559 | 0 | 976 | 441 | 0 | 0 | 1554 |
| 1634 | 1013 | 1719 | 432 | 2122 | 420 | 880 |
The first week I switched to comic-sans, I wrote more words in three days than I had the entire previous weeks.
Bolded numbers are days I meet with Word Dancers, which is a group devoted solely to writing sprints. During a 20 minute sprint I did 697 words. I have never done that in my life!
Week 1: 3365
Week 2: 3530
Week 3: 7950 — More than double the previous weeks!
The unbolded days were “struggle” days before Comic Sans (and I still struggle) but the difference is on struggle days before I managed double digits and now I manage triple digits. As far as sprinting days go, I came close to doubling my word counts. Crazy!
Placebo or Genuine?
I told my writing groups about it and was met with a mixture of negative emotions. We’ve all seen the grift (or even bought into it before we know better). Comic Sans is also one of those fonts you have an opinion on.
One of my good writing friends said when she was a teenager, she wrote 150,000+ words in Comic Sans. She found the entire meme amusing and thought about switching back to “teenage mode” to see if it unlocked the same furor as it did back in the day.
A member of Starlight Novelists tried it for a school essay. It didn’t have good results; in fact, she said she wrote less per minute than she usually did.
A local writing group, Word Dancers, who meet solely to write together (no crit, no feedback) attempted it. The fastest writer in the group saw no increase and stayed the same. The slowest writer in the group saw a consistent increase with each sprint using it.
So far? Results vary from writer to writer. Inconclusive evidence.
But is there actual science behind writing in Comic Sans? Believe it or not — Yes!
Like herbal medicine, it is a mix of science and placebo. (Don’t @ me; I alleviate my minor ails with herbals)
THE SCIENCE says “If it’s hard to read, it’s hard to do”. This means that the font you use to write your novel can make a difference. But what’s so special about Comic Sans in particular?
Each letter of Comic Sans has a unique shape. For instance in most fonts, “p” and “q” are mirror images of each other. It also looks handwritten because most non-calligraphers are unable to produce identical letters every time.
For sufferers of dyslexia, Comic Sans is one of the easiest fonts for them to read. However, there are several other dyslexia readable fonts that may produce the same effect as Comic Sans because of their readability:
Plus, any other “Sans Serif” style font is going to rate high on the readability scale. What does that mean?
The bottom line? Comic Sans is easy to read.
Another effect of writing in Comic Sans is simply a cosmetic refresh of the project. A long-time standby for curing writer’s block is a change of environment. Refreshing the font is part of that.
Other Writer’s Block Cures
- Change word processor
- Freewrite analog/pen+paper
- Change Time of Day writing
- Listen to music/change music/add ambient noise such as rain
- Exercise; a simple ten minute walk or five minute run to get the blood flowing and your brain active
- Establish a routine — if you are to become a professional author, this is going to be necessary anyway
- Change environment, such as writing in a new room or place
- Inspire yourself by watching/reading something that inspired you to create, such as a favorite film or movie
Do it? Or Nah?
I say give it a try for a few sessions. Document and see how it fares. If it works, great! If not, you know that it’s not for you, and knowing what doesn’t work for you is just as important as finding what does work.
As much as I hate to admit it, for me, writing in Comic Sans works.