How to improve handwriting?

[Chris C]

I have looked through the archived posts on this forum and can't seem to find any suggestions about how to practice handwriting legibly. I am not looking to learn any fancy writing like Spencerian or Italic. I am happy with the Zaner-Bloser style script I learned in elementary school during the 1980s. I looked on Zaner-Bloser's web site and the most advanced book they have is for 8th graders. Any ideas of workbooks for more advanced people?

[sph33r]

It would seem to me that if you're happy with the style in which you write, but unhappy with the outcome, that the only thing you need is more practice. I believe there are a few posts stickied or found in this forum that can provide you with lined worksheets.. the next step would simply be focusing on letter forms and attempting to retrain your hand to create the letters properly. I think all you would need is a simple chart of proper letter forms, some lined paper, and a lot of time to practice.

 

But... I'm not an expert so I could be wrong. That's simply the way I would attack it if I liked the style I wrote in but not how my hand rendered the letters.

[penburg]

Here are some places I looked at to improve my handwriting, which is a sort of modified italic print with some letters connected.

 

http://briem.ismennt.is/d/dd/dda/ddaa.htm

http://briem.ismennt.is/index.htm

http://www.stutler.cc/russ/penmanship.html

 

And check out this FPN thread

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...c=2035&st=0

 

[beezaur]

I have been following (more or less) the Palmer method with good results.

 

Every evening I sit down and fill up a sheet or two with handwriting practice drills. I put it down for a week or so sometimes when work gets busy, but in general I keep at it. Persistence pays off.

 

Several very old, but free books on Palmer can be found through the stickied links in the forum.

 

Scott

[myles]

Kate Gladstone has posted a number of useful tips for improving your handwriting.

 

One that I remember is to choose one letter a week and try and write that one letter perfectly each time you write it - shape, slope, spacing, etc.

 

Kate also posted a set of "_Études_ for Penmanship" (practice exercises), which apply to any style of writing and which you can find here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...18017&st=75

 

(That link will only work if you are in standard viewing mode, not outline. It's at the top of page 6 of the thread).

 

Regards, Myles.

[rollerboy]

So go for the 8th grade workbooks. The presentation and sample text will be juvenile but the letter forms and (if there is any) the penmanship instruction will still apply to adults. But if you don't have a "problem" then you don't need a book, just practice. Sit down and write with a little more care than usual.

 

Most of the handwriting books I've seen that target adults are flogging italic handwriting - which has its good and bad points.

[Paladin]

I have looked through the archived posts on this forum and can't seem to find any suggestions about how to practice handwriting legibly. I am not looking to learn any fancy writing like Spencerian or Italic. I am happy with the Zaner-Bloser style script I learned in elementary school during the 1980s. I looked on Zaner-Bloser's web site and the most advanced book they have is for 8th graders. Any ideas of workbooks for more advanced people?

 

I use this book

 

Write Now: A Complete Self-teaching Program for Better Handwriting (Paperback)

by Barbara Getty (Author), Inga Dubay (Author)

 

It really helped me improve.

 

The other is Fountain Pen Network. Check out this link

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/lo....php/t2035.html

 

Ann Finley makes it look so easy. It is provided you practice, practice, practice. It's important to write sentences or just copy out stuff that you want to learn. I've been memorizing bible verses and the books of the bible.

[Ann Finley]

Hi Chris,

 

These alphabet sentences can be used to practice any type of handwriting. I agree with what's been said above...If you're happy with the style of writing that you currently use, it's just a matter of slowing down and practicing regularly. When you make a grocery list (or whatever), consciously focus on your writing. Likely within a few weeks you'll notice a big improvement.

 

Best, Ann

[hardyb]

Go to: www.myhandwriting.com/info./handwritingpaper. There is a ton of info on this websight.

[*david*]

Go to: www.myhandwriting.com/info./handwritingpaper. There is a ton of info on this websight.

I agree there's a ton of info linked to from that page, but it's very poorly organized, impossible to find what you want, and not necessarily all of good quality. That page itself has nothing useful at all. Are there a couple of the links in particular that you have found helpful?

[dcjacobson]

The 8th grade book really should be all you need. Vintage Zaner Bloser and Palmer Method books come up on eBay all the time. Here I would look for "Palmer Method of Business Writing," the last edition of which I've seen is 1949.

 

But for a good book you can get right now, I recommend "At Home with Artistic Penwork: Book One, Business Writing" by Stephen A. Ziller. You can get it from www.zillerofkc.com or www.pendemonium.com.

 

Good luck,

Don

[peapicker]

For copywork, assuming you have a sheet of letterforms and are just looking to perfect them, I like to find writings that inspire me as practice material. This could be anything... for me, this means writings from the Bible, the early church fathers, translations of Latin epigrams, T.S. Eliot, poems and excerpts from The Lord of the Rings and other literature, recipes I like to cook (and eat!), and so on and so forth.

[dcjacobson]

I just noticed there is a 1949 edition of "Palmer Method of Business Writing" on eBay right now:

 

http://tinyurl.com/2znxsc

 

 

Don

[hardyb]

...it's very poorly organized, impossible to find what you want, and not necessarily all of good quality. That page itself has nothing useful at all. Are there a couple of the links in particular that you have found helpful?

 

Quite right, waste of your time. Slog on.

Edited January 25, 2008 by hardyb