One thing I tried this week which proved creative was altering the font I was using in Word. It worked. It's strange how these silly things help with creativity.

I do know what you mean about long-hand helping with throwing ideas down - scribbling down notes and so. I do all my planning of prose (fiction and non-fiction) long-hand. Complete with arrows and diagrams and stuff.

The other thing I like about long-hand is that writing with a pen is actually pleasurable. I just like watching ink (well, gel ink) make marks on paper.