Penmanship
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The penmanship forum at fountainpennetwork.com will point you in the right direction.
Also, "Write Now" by Barbara Getty gets a lot of praise.
Also, "Write Now" by Barbara Getty gets a lot of praise.
Go to www.pendemonium.com, then on the left side of the screen, click on Reference Books. Then click on Penmanship. There are some great books, and Sam Fiorella is one of the nicest pen people around. She will be glad to help you out.
I had to chuckle....the only time I ever got a "D" in primary school was in 1st grade, when the battle-axe I had gave me a "D" in Writing. She demanded that we copy the cursive letters *exactly* matching the green posters encircling the classroom. I always preferred to print, and never could achieve perfection copying.
Interestingly, I have always been told that my handwriting is extremely easy to read, while many of my classmates (who scored A's in Writing) have illegible scrawls.
Interestingly, I have always been told that my handwriting is extremely easy to read, while many of my classmates (who scored A's in Writing) have illegible scrawls.
Handwriting is almost like a fingerprint. I've known people to make very small improvement in their writing but large changes? I'm skeptical.
Try to track down an old book called The Palmer's Method of Business Writing. I can't remember where, but I was able to download it for free and it is a good old schoolbook which helped me.
Interesting thread...
I acually forgot how to write in script. In high school, my handwriting was so bad, I began printing everything so I could read it. (I've gotten lots of praise for my printing.) Also, an infatuation with graffiti steered me away from penmanship or maybe it was catholic school nuns who would hit you with a broom stick across the fingers and charge you $.05 for a new sheet of paper for bad writing. All I can write right now (without serious concentration) is my signature.
This may inspire me to learn how to again. I love writing in all forms, script, print, graffiti, calligraphy etc. (I actually did all the envelopes for the invites to my wedding in calligraphy. I bought a book and a pen set and practiced. I loved it.)
I acually forgot how to write in script. In high school, my handwriting was so bad, I began printing everything so I could read it. (I've gotten lots of praise for my printing.) Also, an infatuation with graffiti steered me away from penmanship or maybe it was catholic school nuns who would hit you with a broom stick across the fingers and charge you $.05 for a new sheet of paper for bad writing. All I can write right now (without serious concentration) is my signature.
This may inspire me to learn how to again. I love writing in all forms, script, print, graffiti, calligraphy etc. (I actually did all the envelopes for the invites to my wedding in calligraphy. I bought a book and a pen set and practiced. I loved it.)
Similar story. I had just had reconstructive surgery on my right hand (my dominant hand), so I had to learn to write left handed for 3 months. I failed penmanship.
But it's ok, I had my revenge. I had really bad ADD, so I unknowingly tortured her for the rest of the year.
I just wrote a few notes with fountain pen to my family this evening. Thanks to Getty Dubay "Write Now" and a little diligent practice, they would tell you I went from illegible to fully legible and sometimes beautiful in three or so months.
It's been a few years since, and I am still learning. Early on I made key changes like using a fountain pen, avoiding loopy cursive techniques (like Palmers), choosing to two-stroke my "e", point my "w" bottoms, point the leading edge of "n" and "m", and use my arm, not my fingers to write (the hardest part)... and well, it's going okay.
If I compare my writing of old to now it does look like a completely separate set of fingerprints.
I am an older dog and my children have seen me do my "homework" practicing and learning new tricks.
If I rush, you are right, my writing regresses to the original fingerprint. But that regression seems to be diminishing over time.
I just got "Write Now" and am thinking about getting a fountain pen, so that's good to hear. I'm curious if you encountered any difficulties in your three-month transitional phase from chicken scratch to good handwriting. For example, I can see myself being in a situation where I need to take notes quickly two weeks into the project and reverting back to illegible scrawl out of necessity.
Yes, certainly, when quick writing I reverted at first. But speed comes with careful repetition. It will get faster and faster. Write Now will never be as fast as loopy methods like Palmer, but it can come close with practice. The Write Now approach is much much more legible.
Even within Getty Dubay you will have choices. Two stroke the "e" (I do), point the bottoms of "w" (I do), point the leading stroke of "m" and "n" (I do), cursive italic (yes). It's all beautifully explained in the book, and by the time you do cursive italic it will all make sense.
For instant gratification, Target sells a Pilot fountain pen for about $6. It's called a plumix or pluminix by Pilot. It's not a bad writer for you home, though goofy looking and clipless with a long barrel. Get a bottle of Noodler's Black (Bulletproof) and you can reload the cartridge with a pipette.
Office Depot carries some cheap fountain pens too including the cheap and amazing Yafa. Staples has disposable Pilot Varsities... and you can pull the nib out with a firm grip and refill them. The Staples Eco Friendly paper (sugar cane paper made in Egypt), is great practice paper.
Fountain Pen Network is the place to go to learn more. The B&B of the fountain pen world: http://www.fountainpennetwork.com .
This is a very helpful thread (I also have horrid penmanship 
). Thanks OP and thanks posters!
). Thanks OP and thanks posters!Thanks.
