Have you ever been told that your handwriting looks like a doodle? Are you frustrated and embarrassed that your grades look like those of a child instead of looking like an adult? Because we type all the time on the computer and on cell phones, the importance of handwriting has gradually faded. However, although keyboards have become more common in our lives, some things still need to be written by hand in academic and professional settings. Your handwriting doesn't have to look like a first grader. All you need is a pen, patience, and a little practice.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Prepare to Write
Step 1. Stretch your fingers, hand, arm, and shoulder
Stretch for a few minutes so that the muscles you use to write are stronger and more flexible. In this way, you will prevent your hand from contracting or getting tired very quickly. You should focus these stretches on the hand you write with, but it also helps if you do them with the other hand. Here are some stretches you can do:
- Move and stretch the fingers of both hands.
- Bring your hands together (as if you were slapping each other) and press your fingers against each other.
- Interlock your fingers and press your hands in front of your body.
- Make a fist and then spread your hand wide to stretch your muscles.
- Bend and try to reach each finger with your thumb. You can coordinate each movement with the rhythm of a song.
- Make circular movements with your wrist. You can also flex it back and forth.
- Roll your shoulders in back and forth circles.
Step 2. Gather your supplies
Before you start practicing writing, you should have the materials that will help you with the practice. Some materials that will be useful are the following:
- A desk or one solid surface to write. If you have a hard, smooth surface to write on, the legibility and clarity of your handwriting will immediately increase.
- A notebook with lines or a lined paper it will help you keep the letters the same size.
- A writing tool. Some people argue over which is the best tool for handwriting: the pen or the pencil. The ballpoint pen may allow you to write more smoothly because the ink flows freely, but the pencil might be better for someone who wants to perfect their technique and correct mistakes. In either case, choose the writing tool that you can comfortably hold in your hand.
Step 3. Find a comfortable position to write
Many teachers claim that you need to have the correct posture for your handwriting to be legible. Proper posture is to sit with your back straight, your shoulders back, your legs uncrossed, and your feet on the floor. In general, it is recommended to use a chair with a high, flat back to better support your back. While practicing proper posture might help you write in a balanced position while sitting and take some of the strain off your back, it's not something you should be obsessed with. Sit in a comfortable position that allows you to move your arm and hand freely as you write.
Step 4. Evaluate and adjust the way you hold the writing tool
Each person holds it differently, but a common way to hold the pencil or pen is to hold it between the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger, while the center of the pen rests on the knuckle of the forefinger or in the crease between. thumb and forefinger. You should grip the pen with enough pressure so that it does not slip from your hand as you write, but gentle enough that your hand does not shake or cramp after a few minutes.
If you write with your left hand, it may help to write with your hand hooked, creating the shape of a mountain between your forearm and thumb. You can also hold the pen a little higher so you can see what you write
Step 5. Try to learn a different writing technique
Most people use their fingers to create the shape of the letters. This is called finger writing. If you use only your fingers to draw the letters, you may put a lot of strain on your finger muscles, causing your hand to tire and cramp faster. An alternate and less strenuous way to write is to use the muscles of the shoulder and arm to write instead of the muscles of the fingers. You will know that you are using these muscles correctly if your forearm and shoulder move as you type. Some people who write or draw in their profession (calligraphers, architectural draftsmen, etc.) find that writing and drawing is easier and more accurate if the muscles of the shoulder are used. Using the muscles of the forearm and shoulder for writing is beneficial because, surprisingly, these muscles are capable of fine and elaborate motor movements, and they also tire much less than the muscles of the fingers. This is how you can learn to write with your shoulder and forearm muscles:
- Write big letters in the air. When you write in the air, you use the same movements that you should use to write on paper with the muscles of the forearm and shoulder. It is like writing on a blackboard. Remember that the forearm should guide the shape of the letters, while the shoulder should give the force.
- When you feel comfortable with the forearm and shoulder movements, make the size of the letters smaller and smaller. Then, when you feel like you're ready, practice with a pen and paper.
- Focus on keeping your fingers, hand, and wrist steady as your forearm and shoulder do the movements.
Part 2 of 2: Practice Handwriting
Step 1. Scribble
Scribbling is an easy way to practice writing movements with your forearm and shoulder muscles without having to create exact letters. You can scribble down some of the shapes and symbols used in the alphabet to help you move around comfortably when doing the curves and angles. Some common shapes you can practice are ///, \\\\\, +++++ and OOOOO. You can also make waves and zigzags that will help you create other letters of the alphabet.
Step 2. Practice writing all the letters
It will be easier if you start with each letter of the alphabet before writing more complex words and sentences. Write the entire alphabet in uppercase and lowercase letters first. Then you can collate them (for example: Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, Ee, Ff, etc.).
Step 3. Concentrate on writing only the alphabet in capital letters
Practice writing the letters in small groups to master writing similar letters in smaller portions. By concentrating on groups of letters with a similar shape, number of strokes, and structure, you can consolidate the movements needed to write those letters. All capital letters must be the same height. You can divide them into the following smaller groups:
- Capital letters made with a single stroke of the pen
- L, V, U, W, Z, C, O, S
- Capital letters made with two strokes
- B, D, J, K, M, N, P, Q, R, X, T, Y, Z
- Capital letters made with three strokes
- A, E, F, H, I
Step 4. Focus on writing only the lowercase letters
Although all uppercase letters must be the same height, lowercase letters must vary. For example, the letters of the first group, which are rounded, should be smaller than those of the fourth group, since these have longer tails and stems.
- Lower case: group 1
- m, n, r, u
- Lower case: group 2
- a, c, e, s, o
- Lower case: group 3.
- b, d, h, j, g, p, q, f, y
- Lowercase: group 4
- v, w, x, z
Step 5. Practice with directional tables and exercise books
Each person has their own style of writing, but there are some sequences for writing the letters that make it easier to move on to the next one. For example, instead of starting to create the lowercase "e" from the bottom tail and going up and round with the pen, make the short center line first and bring the pen up, round and down, so you can move on to the next one. letter naturally.
Handwriting workbooks typically contain spaces lined up in different ways to help you control the size and proportion of the letters. If you constantly practice writing letters and sentences, your handwriting will be neater and easier to read
Step 6. Try the different writing styles
You may have noticed that your handwriting looks much better when the letters are more curvilinear and rounded. You may find it easier and more comfortable to write if the letters are larger than usual. In any case, practice writing in different styles: letters with turns, bubbles, angles, pointed or narrow and tall to see what is easier for you and is more legible for others. There are tons of ways to write by hand, so experiment to find out what works for you.
Step 7. Copy the writing that you like
If an uncle of yours just gave you a birthday card and you love the way he writes the "J" and "c", take a piece of tracing paper, place it on top and copy them. In this way, you will be able to recognize and imitate the elements that you want to incorporate into your writing.
Step 8. Write slowly
As you progress to writing words and sentences, writing slowly will help you identify areas for improvement, such as letter spacing, word spacing, letter size, and slant. By taking your time, you can focus on writing evenly and clearly.
Step 9. Practice whenever you can
Write your shopping or to-do list by hand. Scribble while talking on the phone. Write about your day in a journal. The more you practice, the better you will write.
Advice
- Rest your hand often if you write a lot.
- If the pen or pencil slips while you write, you can put a rubber grip on the bottom end for better support.
- Some nibs (and leads) may be easier to write than others. Try some nibs of different widths until you find one that you can write with clearly and comfortably.
- If you are left-handed, avoid using spiral notebooks, as this can prevent you from writing naturally.
- Try to focus on correcting one aspect of your writing at a time. It will be easier if you improve gradually than if you try to correct everything at the same time.
- If you want to write on specific office supplies (like a thank you card) or sign a document, first make a draft on a piece of paper before writing on the actual document. So you can present your best handwriting on something important.