This Royalite typewriter belonged to my father when he took typing classes. I use it to write formal letters, to create documents that require idiosyncratic, authentic typefaces, and as decoration. The experience of typing on a typewriter is not replicable today. It is genuinely enjoyable. There is a tactile crispness to each keystroke barely found on today’s computer keyboards. It’s not a forgiving device, either, so you slow down and think about what you’re writing. You draft and you think, and ultimately create beautiful works on this machine. You see the full page of what you’ve written in front of you; you are not dogged by unnecessary tools. The basics of a well-formatted are already given to you. Everything about a Royalite speaks to simplicity and precision, and produces a unique result compared to modern machinery. I still use it to write formal letters, and would suggest the classmates invest in a typewriter, even if only to enjoy the aesthetics and history of type.
