Pencil forgives

I write the first draft in pencil, because pencil forgives. Ink commits you. Pencil lets you be wrong quietly and come back later with a rubber. My pencils are HB, sharpened with a knife because I like the long point. I keep six on the desk so I never have to stop to sharpen. The second draft goes on the typewriter, and the third on the laptop. Each change of machine makes me read the whole thing again with fresh eyes.