Having trouble with my handwriting

My mother kept her beautiful handwriting through old age.

Mine is not good, it `wobbles` and even my signature is not as it used to be but is better than my friends handwriting which is so bad that it is unreadable, she used to be a gp

I did buy myself a decent fountain pen which improves the look a bit but I too definitely need more actual practice with the pen

I could have added, IMO my handwriting (autocorrect just changed that to ‘handwringing!’ 😂) certainly wasn’t helped by having learnt plain ‘round’ cursive until I was 9, but a different school from 9-11 insisted on old-fashioned ‘loopy’, and then the first year of senior school thought it’d be a good idea to get us all doing italic, with italic pens….

Not altogether surprising that my handwriting never really recovered.

My handwriting is also terrible. I think am more legible if I use black ink though I can't see why that would make a difference. I type if I have to write anything at length which is thankfully not very often.

I am left handed so I was in trouble at school as my handwriting sloped. Apart from shopping lists and cards I don’t seem to write much now.

I think it is all part of the aging process - just another loss.

I find my handwriting improves considerably when using a fountain pen.

I was going to say, too, that it depends a lot on what you are using to write with. It doesn't even have to be a fountain pen.

My handwriting has also always been terrible - my mother, whose beautiful boilerplate handwriting stayed immaculate well into her 90s - complained several times to my teachers who just said "It'll come". (It never did)

I find that even some Biros help me to write more evenly and neatly. It's odd but there seems to be no explaining the difference - it might be a cheap ball-point that writes well, suits the angle and the way you hold the pen and has a consistent ink flow whereas an expensive one might just not suit at all.

So find a pen that makes your handwriting look good and stick with it. When the results are pleasing it could even be an incentive to take more care over your work.

Writing on lined paper or drawing pencil lines with a ruler to guide you might help, too.

Mine has definitely got worse, lack of practice and a touch of arthritis in my hands. Write myself lists or notes on the calendar and then cannot make head or tail of them - perhaps it's my eyes and not my hands!

Maggiemaybe like you, I had handwriting lessons at school. We used Osmiroid fountain pens, filled from an ink pot fitted in the school desk. In those days my handwriting was excellent - and was remarked upon at my first job interview. What has happened since I do not know; like the OP, I can't seem to even write a birthday card without an awful illegible scrawl developing. I bought a fountain pen to attempt to improve the situation, but it hasn't worked. I blame lack of use, too, as emails are my method of communication now.

Mine never was wonderful, and always sloped every which way, but since I retired and seldom write anything down any more it’s got much worse, it also doesn’t help that I have arthritis in my hands and fingers as well

Mostly simple lack of practice, I think!

Right hand tremor and handwriting getting smaller and much less legible led to the diagnosis of Parkinson’s for me. I even had a cheque returned by my bank as they couldn’t recognise my signature. PD meds have helped. Now I type rather than write.

If you are concerned about your handwriting - buy an adult colouring book from WHSmiths or any stationers and enjoy colouring in as we did as children .

Lack of use is my reason for bad handwriting.

I have to write anything now in capital letters.

My joined up writing is not very good.
But I don’t want to ruin a birthday card for instance with illegible handwriting.

Like many others, my handwriting used to be lovely.
And I miss it.

Yes. I've thought the same for ages. It has to be to do with keyboard use.

I must be an oddbod. I love writing anything by hand. Every year I start a small notebook of bits and bobs which I keep in my bag. Usually consists of books that have been recommended , books I'm looking for , food/wine recommendations. Recipes, restaurants, measurements for all sorts. Notes about a trip we're doing in the Spring - but I think that will soon have it's own little book. DH keeps all his "stuff" on his phone but I like to see mine written down, whether it's shopping lists, diary dates, addresses. Even have a Craft notebook where I note down patterns I'm on, wool being used, size of hook etc, quilting notes etc. Love all things stationary related, especially notebooks, preferably with unlined pages. Wish there were more reasons for putting pen to paper.

I noticed that my handwriting was deteriorating years ago. (at least 20).

I think it is due to a lot of different factors.

Years of writing large clear letters on a blackboard with chalk
Before that years of scrawling lecture-notes in long-hand as fast as possible
Typing, computers, deteriorating eyesight and increasing rheumatism.

If it really bothers you, you could try doing the kind of copy-book exercises we did at school - forming every letter as perfectly as possible, check that your reading glasses are the strength you need, write on a sloping desk, rathr than a flat table - you can prop a board up on a couple of books to try if the slanting desk makes a difference. Use a fountain pen rather than a biro or felt-tip,

I have chosen just to accept it as one of the minor inconveniences of growing older. But I don't have anyone to write letters to any more, and if I did I would write them on the computer and print them out.

But you are certainly not alone in this.

I think that it is a mix of things. Arthritis can be a major cause Also we don't seem to handwrite as many letters in the high tec age of emails. I find using a quality pen writing on quality paper seems to improve my writing. A gel pen is much nicer than a standard biro and I prefer writing on Conqueror Laid paper. I'm sure that anybody receiving a handwritten letter from any of you will appreciate your words and thoughts more than in an email regardless of how poor you think the quality of your writing is.

Most probably, it is simple lack of practise, but if there is a marked deterioration, it's worth mentioning it to your GP, as some neurological disorders affect handwriting, as TashandRiver has mentioned.

In 2022 I had a brain tumour removed. My handwriting was never great now I find it really difficult to write. Thank heavens for keyboards!

I find if I write with pencil or fountain pen, my writing is lovely, but with Biro it skids all over the place!

Yes, my handwriting has become worse. Like tuskanini, I think this is largely due to lack of use these days. (Though old age doesn't help!) Shopping lists are OK, cards not bad, but writing letters (written occasionally) requires a lot of effort!

I spoke to a lady in the bank about this as due to arthritis in my right hand, sometimes my signature doesn't look the same. She said that they do have a way round this for elderly or disabled people. I know we don't use cheques so much now adays but sometimes you may need to sign a document or form in the bank or BS.

Yes mine is the same. It's a shame though , that today's children will lose their handwriting skills much more quickly than we have done.In lots of cases they hardly write at all.

Rosiebee

I must be an oddbod. I love writing anything by hand. Every year I start a small notebook of bits and bobs which I keep in my bag. Usually consists of books that have been recommended , books I'm looking for , food/wine recommendations. Recipes, restaurants, measurements for all sorts. Notes about a trip we're doing in the Spring - but I think that will soon have it's own little book. DH keeps all his "stuff" on his phone but I like to see mine written down, whether it's shopping lists, diary dates, addresses. Even have a Craft notebook where I note down patterns I'm on, wool being used, size of hook etc, quilting notes etc. Love all things stationary related, especially notebooks, preferably with unlined pages. Wish there were more reasons for putting pen to paper.

Ha I'm an oddbod too then as I have always loved all things stationery, notebook, lovely pens, writing paper and envelopes, scrap books, coloured papers.

Interestingly though, I once met a real stationery addict, it was a real condition and she had to receive treatment for it because she was spending all her money on stationery even when she went for coffee etc if the shop had a little gift section, she'd have to buy a card or a pen or a pencil despite having loads and loads of them at home.

I guess we'd better be careful !!!