Does Writers Camp Exist

[DriedUpBob]

Newb to fountain pens here and enjoying my Lamy Safari, TWSBI 540 and anxiously awaiting my Vanishing Point from Brian and gang. To enjoy my pens further I have begun a daily journal of just random thoughts and positive memories in my life. I've only been scribbling for about a week but find myself straining to finish a single page due to wrist pain. I have done a search and read a little bit on "writers cramp" here in FPN but can't seem to find if there is way to get rid of it or if I will grow out of it as I write more. It's not extreme and goes away <10 minutes after I finish my journal entry for the day but sometimes I would like to write more. I have found that putting another book of equal thickness next to my journal helps to give support to the pinky side of my hand.

 

So does writers cramp really exist and any tips to rid my world of it.

 

Thanks for the great education here

 

Bob

[torstar]

You develop the muscles of writing during school and can handle amazing exam demands through high school and university.

 

And then you don't use the muscles and they go away.

 

The cramp is due to making excessive demands over your current abilities.

 

If I used to run half-marathons and then stopped for 20 years, trying to run one again at the same pace would probably cause a cramp or two.

[JimB]

You may be holding the pen wrong (death grip), or pressing down too hard, as most of us did when using ball point pens. Cramping after just one page means you're doing something wrong. There are lots of threads on the forum about how to hold/write with a fountain pen.

 

That, or you have (maybe) carpel tunnel syndrome from excessive keyboarding?

[jar]

Check a few things.

 

First you should not be gripping the pen. The pen should simply balance on your middle finger and the webbing of your hand. Your thumb and index finger then barely touch the pen to keep it from rotating.

 

Next, move your arm when you write, not just your wrist.

 

Relax. No death grips,

[minislot]

Yes, Oscar Wilde was pretty camp.

 

Sorry, couldn't resist; didn't mean to offend anybody etc.

[torstar]

Yes, Oscar Wilde was pretty camp.

 

Sorry, couldn't resist; didn't mean to offend anybody etc.

 

 

As long as you don't hurt anyone's feelings unintentionally...

 

[penrivers]

Lol. I tought, well, at last I am going to learn to be a good fiction writer but nop , it was about cramps.

[Yanroy]

From the description, I'm pretty sure you're writing by moving your wrist (this is what is commonly taught in schools nowadays, it's how I learned). Your wrist shouldn't move much when you're writing, you should be moving your entire arm instead. This takes some getting used to, and is really only possible on an actual desk with some space (writing with a notepad in your lap is difficult). Treat your wrist and fingers as if they're frozen in position and try to write... awkward at first, but big rewards, both in terms of comfort (the big muscles of your arm tire much more slowly) and quality (for some reason, those muscles seem to be better at doing smooth motions with a little practice).

[Shangas]

I confess to being a wristwriter. But even I don't get cramping or soreness that often.

 

One thing I do, if I'm doing a LOT of writing in a single sitting, is to use a dip-pen. That forces you to stop every few lines to recharge the pen with ink, and it gives your hand time to relax.

[DriedUpBob]

Thanks for all the great input. I'm getting a little more longevity now. Tried the locking the wrist and writing with my whole arm but that is very awkward as mentioned so that will take more practice. But hey more practice means more time with my new pens!

 

Thanks again for a great community

 

Bob

[Bo Bo Olson]

I use the forefinger up version of the tripod.

I used the 'classic' version but with the Death Grip for 50 years. It took me two minutes to learn the forefinger up method.

 

With forefinger up, automatically I grasp the pen like a featherless baby bird. There is no learning curve of learning to grip lightly like in 'classic'.

 

Some folks insist the 'classic' is best. It might well be for calligraphy.

 

In advanced search, in writing instruments are two threads, "Tripod" and "Death Grip"

Both the 'classic' and 'forefinger up' are discussed.

Edited March 8, 2012 by Bo Bo Olson

[nxn96]

Someone once told me that you should grip a golf club just enough so that it didn't fly out of your hand during the swing. Much the same is true about a pen.

 

If you look at the old Palmer Method instruction books, the pen itself basically "nests" in your hand as you essentially "guide" it to form the letters/numbers. With fountain pens, it is a surprisingly easy process; as once the pen nib touches the paper, there's really little else for you to do other than guide the nib along. Ballpoints, by the very nature of the ink and ball process, require more hand pressure to get the ink to move from the cartridge to the paper.

 

My suggestion would be to first "ease-up" on the pressure. Just let the pen nib touch the paper and see what happens. Then, once you've got the right level of pressure, ease back the pen in your hand such that you form a "nest" wherein the upper body of the pen (or lower cap, depending on the pen) simply rests in that little cul-de-sac formed by your thumb and index finger. Your thumb and combination index/middle finger should apply just enough pressure to keep the nib to the paper- no more. Less pressure, less strain; less stain, less cramp.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Keep in mind these are writing instruments. Tools. Let the tool do the work, and you be the foreman.

[rakka]

I read that you can check your finger as a guide to see how hard you are gripping the pen, your index finger should be bent at the joint closest to the tip of your finger, if it's straightened out then you're squeezing the pen too tight and will get cramping.

 

Arm writing is supposed to be better than wrist writing, but it's a hard habit for me to get into, I don't know if it has to do with me being left handed or not. I was thinking of getting one of those wrist braces for carpel tunnel that lock your wrist position so your hand stays straight, but I haven't yet.

[CountryDoc]

Lol. I tought, well, at last I am going to learn to be a good fiction writer but nop , it was about cramps.

Yeah, I was hoping for some kind of workshop to unlearn the bad technique I picked up from first grade. I write with my wrist & fingers, and suffer the painful consequences. I could sure use a penmanship coach! I've read many very informative posts about technique, but it would still be nice to have some real-time personal pointers.

[Bo Bo Olson]

"Tripod" "Death Grip" forefinger up.