The Writing Dilemma 

Ask any writer and they’ll tell you writing isn’t dead. Heck, ask any student and they’ll let share with you endless stories on word-counts and track changes. Conclusion: writing isn’t going anywhere soon. 

So what does that mean for you? Well, writing is an important skill to have in any field, regardless of the line of work you want to go into or the degree you ultimately obtain. It is an essential feature of any industry and virtually any company.  

The student in me loathed staring at the same old laptop with its noisy, annoying keys and the slowest hard drive known to man. Every time I entered a dead silent lecture hall for a morning class, I was convinced that you could hear every last clack of those keys. 

Yet, the aspiring author in me enjoys spending hours at a time pecking away at the keyboard, letting my thoughts flow freely across the page, and crossing my fingers that they responded appropriately to the prompts. 

Now, having graduated from college, I have more time on my hands to consider writing for fun and finding ways to make the process more interesting in this post-graduate era. Those of us who have difficulty communicating in social settings and in casual conversation frequently find that writing can be a savior in these situations.  

When I try to convey what's on my mind, it usually comes out sounding more like a jumbled mess than a coherent statement. In these cases, the written media offers a sense of comfort and reliability because I am in control of what is included on the page and what is excluded without having to worry about the embarrassment of a social blunder. The gift of writing has given me so much. 

In thinking about gifts for the upcoming holiday season, nothing ever really appealed to me as a wannabe writer. I loved the idea of being the female version of Stephen King holed up in a mountain cabin working away at my typewriter, but never found or received something that scratched that itch. Typewriters are typically quite pricey, and with the prevalence of cloud storage and collaboration tools like SharePoint and iCloud, the technology of today is all connected to one another. That is, until now.  

The ACTTO addresses a unique dilemma that writers in the modern age may experience: how to be our socially-awkward, imaginative selves while pretending to be our favorite old authors in the modern age. Yes indeed, we can now accomplish these desires with a simple, affordable keyboard that works with any of our devices and maintains the look and feel of a classic typewriter. Out with the average laptop and in with the good ol’ typewriter. 

The Retro-Modern Movement 

Nostalgia is a powerful link between generations that seemingly have little in common. What formerly held sentimental value for a parent during their childhood years is now held in awe by their own teenage children. This connection is driven by social media and social discourse. Older media gems resurface again and again. Think of all the recent reboots in movies, television shows, books, that find a new platform to catch a new audience in a different era.  

Sometimes, the magic of an entertainment piece that didn’t quite make money at the box office or was buried in an onslaught of other artforms is rediscovered through its inclusion on a streaming service or a viral social media post that gains traction on popular apps such as Tik Tok or Twitter.  

One of these ideas that has recently made a splash in popular culture is the concept of the retro style. Modern media and public personalities employ the retro mood to generate virality in the social media world that lives off of nostalgia cycles.  

Take Kim Kardashian for example, who wore Marilyn Monroe's iconic dress to the Met Gala. This choice drew many a headline and stirred up widespread conversation across social media. Guardians of the Galaxy is another example of retro-modernism in film as it revived the Walkman (a cassette player) with Starlord’s love of his mother’s music taste. The album created for the film then exploded in popularity, driving up social media interaction and thereby movie ticket sales.  

Therefore, the media use the retro-modern style to ultimately increase notoriety and profits. This is due to the fact that re-wearing vintage clothes or reproducing other products attracts both older generations who are already familiar with them and younger generations who get the opportunity to experience them for the first time. 

When it comes to the world of writing, the typewriter is the quintessential retro-modern go-to for a cute Instagram post or an appealing Pinterest board. It is a standalone example of a well-liked accessory that fits into the aesthetic of the retro-modern movement.  

Picture a well-worn typewriter on a sturdy oak desk with brass drawer handles topped with leather-bound books. This is just one way the typewriter produces the retro-modern style that creates beautiful content for social media. Mid-century style with today’s modern flair. Match made in heaven! 

The Typewriting Aesthetic 

The integration of goods and styles from the early to the middle of the 1900s that were popular in everyday households into modern looks is an essential component of the retro-modern movement.  

The atmosphere of a chaotic newsroom or a solitary writer going mad at the Overlook Hotel can be conjured up by the use of typewriters. Typewriters possess delicate features such as gold lettering and engraved keys that are perfect for an artistic Instagram photo shoot. This form of content has the potential to generate a lot of traction online and, in turn, garner attention and subsequently grow follower counts.   

For an average writer, however, typewriters have a certain feel that simply cannot be replicated on a laptop. The circular keys on the fingers and the specific noise they make when pressed are especially satisfying. There is a reason some authors insist on continuing to use them; there is just something about the traditional element of typewriting that keeps the past and present connection alive.  

The issue is, how does one easily purchase a typewriter when they are hard to obtain and often expensive? Moreover, how can one incorporate the typewriter into their look when technology is so deeply rooted in writing nowadays? The ACTTO, thankfully, has an answer to these questions.  

The ACTTO Blends both Worlds  

So, how does one achieve the retro-modern look while adopting the typewriter aesthetic and managing modern technology?  

Well, luckily for you, the ACTTO has you covered. ACTTO is a Bluetooth wireless keyboard that can connect to any of your devices; however, it is designed to function most effectively with tablets due to its docking station. This simple design feature had big impact: it snugly holds your tablet in the spot where the paper would normally go on a conventional typewriter. Cute, no? It emphasizes the aesthetic of an old-fashioned typewriter while retaining a modern, streamlined appearance. It further serves as a stylish accent piece for the home or the office in addition to providing a fun and easy method to write on your electronic devices. 

ACTTO comes with a compact, portable layout with soft key caps, a pastel set of colors, and wireless technology that is sure to make turning in an essay or a quarterly report far more enjoyable. It holds up to 86 keys which allows the for the maximum functionality of a typical laptop or desktop. Unlike a regular old MacBook or HP, however, ACTTO saves space and is light to carry around when you need to walk between classes on campus or run to a meeting across town. In addition, the Bluetooth feature reduces the need for cables and chargers, so you’ll never run out of battery in the middle of a test or have your laptop crash while saving an important assignment.  

The retro look has never been so accessible and affordable to achieve than with ACTTO. Whether writing is your career goal, a little side hobby, or a part of your current job, ACTTO introduces a new way to refresh the way you write. It condenses down on the number of devices you need to spend money on by working with what you already have! The cherry on top of that is you get to have a beautiful keyboard that is sure to draw attention wherever you use it.  

In Summary 

Maybe our subconsciousness is trying to tell us something with our universal love or retro-modern. Perhaps we need to slow down. At least the industry is listening and so “awareness” is trendy now. Fair enough, but I think it’s a bit sad that we live in times where you need to be aware of how you spend your efforts. There’s an overwhelming amount of stuff to see, do and experience which makes it easy to get completely lost in it all.  

So, take the time to really enjoy the present moment and what you are doing right now. To the sound of typing, the feel of typing, and the inspiration of being connected to this long-standing craft of the written word. You are in good company. 

We don’t know who needs to hear this—but write that first page. We hope it's an even better experience with ACTTO!

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