Thank you, Jess Bruder and the New York Times

NY Times writeup: "The Digital Generation Rediscovers the Magic of Manual Typewriters" (An alternate link via Twitter link shortener)

What do literary stalwarts of the original typewriter era make of all this? “We old typists, it makes us feel young again to think there’s a new generation catching on,” said Gay Talese, 79. He still uses a typewriter, albeit electric, as does his friend, Robert A. Caro, 75, the Pulitzer-winning biographer of Robert Moses and President Lyndon B. Johnson. They discussed Mr. Caro’s Smith Corona while watching the Super Bowl.

“I’m actually not surprised,” Mr. Caro said, when told of the typewriter renaissance. The tangible pleasures of typewriters are something he’s known about for decades. “One reason I type is it simply makes me feel closer to my words,” Mr. Caro said. “It’s like being a cabinetmaker. It’s like laying down the planks. This is the way it’s supposed to feel.”

Tacoma type-in, and other news

• If you're going to be in the Tacoma, Washington area on May 1, grab a typewriter and stop by the main branch of the public library. Another type-in is in the works.
• The membership seems to have stabilized a bit in the last week or so: I made an announcement on the main typewriter-related discussion boards that I know of: The Portable Typewriter Forum, and TYPEWRITERS, both run on Yahoo. There's links to them over on the left, under the "Resources" heading. That's where many of the experts hang out, especially if you have repair questions (and who doesn't?)
  
• Does anyone else feel like that blogroll is making you want to post more often? I'm certainly feeling the (friendly) pressure to keep my own blog updated. I'm seeing a boost in traffic, too (Blogger keeps stats, if you're into that sort of thing, which I am.) Rob at Typewriter Heaven just crossed a pageview milestone, and I bet you're all getting at least a little rise in numbers from Typosphere.net, even if it's just everyone else checking out your site. I have no problem with mutual admiration societies.
• Europe is starting to give in to the Typosphere: we're doubly represented in Switzerland and the Netherlands, and Rob is holding his own in the UK. That's five times as many members in California! (*grumble*) Who's next? We're getting traffic from nations not flagged on the map, so I know you're out there...
• Comments? Questions? Want to be added as a contributor to this blog (meaning you can post here.) What can the Typosphere do for you today?
  

The Typosphere Gets Some Press

Munk and I were interviewed last week along with Bill Wahl of the Mesa Typewriter exchange for a story in the East Valley Tribune. We got the reporter to mention the Typosphere! The Revolution has begun!

Updates

Some brief news:

• The list of typospherians (typospheroids? typosphericals?) is updated on the map page, including locations and URLs of blogs, and we're now using the Google map set up by Rob Bowker. Thanks Rob!
• I also added a mostly-silly description of the typosphere. You may or may not want to be affiliated with it.
  
• I've tinkered with the site layout a little, and added a blog roll to the right-hand edge of the page. The Blogger code could not find an RSS feed for some of your sites. If yours doesn't show up, please let me know what URL I should be requesting and I'll update the blogroll.
• Ryan at Magic Margin had a clever idea for spreading the typosphere word... it's worth checking out.
  

Round Ribbon

If I already have your address, you can just leave a comment here.

Seattle Type-In

On The Map

I've just compiled the results from the comments in the first post and spend a little time getting the approximate locations on the map. Three things:

1. I tried to be faithful to your original post: if I've posted too much (or too little) you can drop me a note.
2. I do know where some of you are, generally (Rino) but not specifically enough to plunk an icon on the map. Corrections welcome!
3. I plan to be adding everyone as "authors" to the site, meaning you can post articles of interest (like upcoming type-ins, or whatever.) Stay tuned for an announcement about that, and potentially an email from Blogger, if I can find an email address for you. UPDATE: invites sent to those I have email addresses for. I have not started digging around on your blogs to find them yet.
   

Now go forth and enmapinate!

Typosphere Roll Call

Do you type? Do you blog? Do you dabble in that weird offspring known as typecasting? Then you, too, are part of the Typosphere. There are a number of personal blogs and sites out there dedicated to typewriters and their uses in the twenty-first century, and we'd like to hear from you.

If you're typecasting or otherwise using typewriters in some capacity, please comment on this post with:

1. The URL of your blog/site and an optional brief write-up: just a sentence or two
2. Your name, or preferred nom de plume if you're shy
   
3. Your approximate location in the world (to be published here on a map)

Thanks all!