Local writers host ‘typewriter revivals’

In a scene that has become familiar to regulars at Milagro Coffee in recent months, two men sit at a table inside writing on typewriters, occasionally stopping to talk and, at other times, silently working side-by-side – silent, that is, except for the clacking of keys that impress letters on paper through a spooled ribbon that holds ink, and the cheerful ding signaling they have reached the end of a line on the page.

“We wanted to get together to talk and type,” said artist and writer Bob Diven, “and sometimes it became more talking than typing. We’ve gotten back to where we’re doing typing and talking.”

Some days, the two friends – Diven and retired educator Steve Ludington – are joined by other typewriter users, some of whom purchased machines Diven has learned to repair.

Bob Diven and Steve Ludington engage in an “act of public typing” at Milagro Coffee and Espresso in Las Cruces, Nov. 27, 2024.

Ribbons and spools designed to fit most typewriters are available for sale online. Correction fluid, on the other hand, which was used to paint over errors and create a new surface for typing, is much harder to come by, he said.

Ludington said he returned to using a typewriter as a way to concentrate: “As a writer, I wanted to get away from all of the distractions and just be present with my own thoughts, as the typewriter allows you to do.” He contrasted that with numerous distractions that come of writing on a laptop computer, from the temptation to check email to frequent notifications that pulled his attention from getting language onto paper.

“It made me realize how much my brain had adapted to technology,” Diven said. “When you type you have to think differently because if you make a mistake or choose the wrong word, you just have to type your way out of it. … When you’re typing on a computer, the cursor is blinking at you, autocorrect is there, grammar is there, and so what’s our impulse? We’re trying to edit as we write – to polish.”

But what about “acts of public typing,” as Diven refers to it? Both men affirmed that it drew curiosity, but not so many as to turn typing into performance art. It has offered opportunities to connect with new friends, including younger people who did not grow up around typewriters and older people who share stories of a world before digital dominance.

“It becomes a social act,” Diven said. “I just got a typewriter because I wanted to write letters again, and my handwriting sucks and I always loved typing. … Typing led to my friendship with Steve, and I now have a correspondence with five people.”

The pair have organized several typewriter “petting zoos,” public events allowing people to try out the machines, and Diven said they have been popular across generations, drawing curiosity and suggesting an alternative to the dominance of digital media. They also sell typewriters, and they professed joy – Diven referred to it as “an evangelistic streak” – over reintroducing the technology and growing a community around it. They two have hosted “typewriter revivals” and on-the-spot repair events.

“Kids love typewriters,” Ludington said. “They like the tactileness of it, they like hitting the buttons – it’s not something you have to be gentle with.”

“This typewriter’s been one of the best decisions I ever made in terms of just regaining my soul in this technological onslaught of a culture,” Diven said. “We need brakes. I think people are realizing we are paying a price. … I don’t think I realized I had a choice until I made it.”

On Saturday morning from 9:30 until noon, they will exhibit over a dozen typewriters available for sale at COAS Books, 317 N. Main Street downtown, including lighter-weight machines with carrying cases for portability and heavier desktop models, Diven said. Typewriter owners whose machines need service are welcome to drop them off for repairs, but on-site maintenance will not be available.

“If somebody’s interested in a typewriter and they don’t know much about it, they are better off buying one of ours,” Ludington said. “It’s always a little better if you can get one you can put your hands on and play with, and have somebody show you how to use it and make sure all the parts are working.”

And as a bonus, one might find an open seat among new friends at the coffee shop.