Handwirting improvement

[WanderingOak]

I started to post this in this thread, then realized that I was taking the thread on a serious drift, so I decided to start over here.


Anyhow, as I mentioned before, I have lousy handwriting. Most of the time, I use block lettering, scrawling so quickly that ofttimes I can't even read what I wrote. I haven't written in cursive since I had to in grade school. I took drafting for a few years, and learned how to letter well, so after that, that is how I wrote. When I take the time, it looks quite good, but I usually don't. All I can say is that word processors and learning how to type saved my life.

As somebody who would someday like to make a living writing, I think this is an area that requires improvement. After all, unless I want to spend all of my creative hours chained to a keyboard, I have to be able to express myself properly with pen and paper. A few years ago, I came across this book, which for one thing, taught me a new way to hold a pen, between the index and middle fingers. Eventually, I do plan on following the system outlined in the book, but right now, I just don't have the time.

[Jill]

This day and age...just type.

I can't write by hand if my life depended on it!

[Lonewolf]

Have you ever heard of the theory that an expert can tell what kind of personality you have by the way you write, and that by definition, this process can be reversed: i.e, change the way you write to alter your personality. For instance, highly driven people tend to put a forward slope to their letters; highly organised people have neat, legible and uniform characters; women tend to use larger letters etc.

[Scott Bird]

Originally Posted by WanderingOak

A few years ago, I came across this book, which for one thing, taught me a new way to hold a pen, between the index and middle fingers.

Looks like a good book (I'm in a similar position to you wrt handwriting). On a slightly different note, how are you at handling chopsticks?

[fourthdan]

The way I improved my handwriting was to copy someone else's and practice to no end.

[andrew]

I have horrible handwriting, like my 7 year old sister is almost better than mine. But there's no way I'm spending hours of my time to just write over and over and over like 2nd grade

[WanderingOak]

Originally Posted by Lonewolf

Have you ever heard of the theory that an expert can tell what kind of personality you have by the way you write, and that by definition, this process can be reversed: i.e, change the way you write to alter your personality. For instance, highly driven people tend to put a forward slope to their letters; highly organised people have neat, legible and uniform characters; women tend to use larger letters etc.

I have heard of the theory, and it may hold true in many cases. My childhood was an extreme period of disorganization and uncertainty, so that could be why my handwriting is so bad. I do try to organize myself now (GTD, etc), although unfortunately, that really didn't improve my handwriting any.

[zactlymyself]

I actually have played with the handwriting/personality a fair amount, and find what font i write in changes how i think.

block/architect letters: serious, note-taking. slower and more deliberate
elementary lower-case printing: shopping lists, casual notes
cursive - letters to self, observations, consciously writing

it's not scientific or anything, but i've found myself writing far more profoundly when i'm being conscious of the evenness aesthetically when it's coming out of my pen... makes the whole process flow better for me.

i have a fairly aware eye, so it's pretty easy for me to pick up on styles of handwriting. also, taking notes in college gives you plenty of practice when you want to develop a new one.

i wish learning new languages was as easy

[PhoenixBlossom]

Wandering Oak,

Do you have anyone to whom you can write letters? I think letter writing is a lost art in some ways, and a real challenge to do. My son recently joined the Army, and we started writing back and forth for the first time ever. It was really interesting to witness his personal style and how he put his thoughts together, as he had no option to use a computer.

IMO if you just try to do it for its own sake, you may not feel the inspiration/motivation to do it as well as if you have an audience waiting.

Love & Joy

[helgi]

I've been thinking about this also, as I would very much like to have nice handwriting. A recent step I took was buying a nice pen, a solid and heavy Lamy ballpoint, and I find it easier and more enjoyable to write with than smaller and lighter pens. Also, the quality of the ballpoint, ink and paper also seem to make a difference.

The quality of my handwriting seems to go up whenever I am at peace. Just looking over a three page journal entry that goes from unease to peace, I can see how scrawly and inconsistent it is at the beginning, and then how it suddenly changes when I've had an insight/shift.

[RT Wolf]

I googled this a while ago, I recall this link showing up:

handwriting tips

I dunno how good it is cause I didn't practice, but I'd love to hear what somebody else's experience may be.

HTH.

[Ibanez]

I only use cursive. I used to use block lettering but it didn't flow to well to me so I switched. Initially my writing that why was bad, almost like a 2nd grader learning, but eventually it came to and now I get compliments on my cursive. My block lettering has gone down though, but I don't really care too much.

[supertom]

im a student and yes my writing sucks, but theres a lot of great people whos writing sucked also e.g lincoln and ben franklin

[silicon toad2000]

my handwriting improved a great deal when I started practising calligraphy. Really nice for a bit of relaxation/meditation.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by fourthdan

The way I improved my handwriting was to copy someone else's and practice to no end.

Generically, good advice for many areas of your life. Copy the Masters.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Jill

This day and age...just type.

I can't write by hand if my life depended on it!

Funnily enough, my handwriting has been commented on many times throughout my life as being really good.

I dont disagree.

However my signature in comparison is a complete embarassment

Anyone know any resources that helps in this area?

[supertom]

do you want a new one ??? can you do that??

my friends one is just the "@" sign but with a W