Hi,

I sometimes pause in the middle of a word when I write, so there's a pool of ink (it's pretty bad if it's my petit1) right there at the point where i paused. It looks bad...:S Do you guys all "pre-figure" the entire word (alphabet, spacing and all) in mind's eye before actually putting the pen onto the page and start writing?

Cheers,
Viv

I sometimes have to stop in the middle of a long word in order to move my hand. I don't worry about the ink pooling a little in the middle of a word.

Judybug

I guess this is why we are so often encouraged to write with the shoulder so that the hand is free to move as needed. I sometimes stop like you in any case as some words need thinking time. I have trouble with things like double 'r's which cause me to hesitate in the result is to be legible. Also I have sudden doubts about spelling deep into a longish word here and there.
I don't feel these things matter too much unless there really is a big blot. It's all part of the spontaneous beaty of an individuals writing IMHO. I believe in my writing I most frequently lift the pen in proble areas though.
MD

In an article about a "master penman" I read somewhere, it said he moved the paper every third letter. That was when writing copperplate or spencerian script. Since then I've found that moving either the paper or my hand more often, even in the middle of words improves my penmanship. I do pick up the nib, so ink doesn't pool.

If you watch Caliken's videos, when he is writing joined scripts (like Spencerian) he ends each letter with the tail/connector to the next letter. That allows him to start from there and still be left with smoothly joined letters. I find that works for me if I have to pause.

When I do stop, I simply lift the nib off the paper - end of problem.

And, of course, traditionally one might pause in the middle of a long word to dip ones pen. . .

John

As these replies indicate, people use different methods and techniques to write so the solution is different in each case. I try to keep my hand skimming and not planted, with "telecommunication" being a good test word. I also try to keep a steady rhythm when I write. Slow or fast, the pen is dancing...

Doug

Same here.

I have a friend who has been taking formal calligraphy lessons for years. He says to keep your eye above your pen at all times. The only way to do that is to move the paper every few letters. He lifts the pen, moves the paper with his hand anchored to it, joins up, and keeps going. If he uses an ink that shows shading, you can see where he makes the moves.

Me, I have enough trouble keeping my grade-school cursive legible. I lift the pen and move my hand when I am writing sesquipedalian words.

Paddler