Improving Your Handwriting

In this lesson, we take a step back from arm movement to talk about the process of improving your handwriting and the fundamental concepts of handwriting.

Part 1: Are You Serious?

Improving your handwriting requires you to unlearn a deeply ingrained habit and replace it with something new and uncomfortable. In the first part of this series, I ask you to get serious about what you want from your handwriting and what you are willing to do to improve it.

Part 2: What is Good Handwriting?

We all know it when we see it, but what is it about good handwriting that makes it good? If you understand why good handwriting is good, you can evaluate your own handwriting and identify the areas that need improvement.

Part 3: Legibility

Legibility is usually the most important aspect to consider when improving your handwriting. In this video, I discuss the concept of legibility.

Part 4: Practicing with an Exemplar

If you want to get somewhere, you need to know where you’re going. When improving your handwriting, the exemplar is your map. It is the set of ideal forms you are trying to achieve through study and practice. Without an exemplar, you will wander aimlessly and never arrive. And if you’re never going to arrive, why leave the house?

Exercise

1. Analyze your handwriting

• How could you improve the consistency of your size, slant, spacing and forms?
• Are there forms you could modify to make your handwriting more legible?

2. Choose an exemplar (or make one)

If you are studying a traditional script like business penmanship (Palmer Method), then you need to be studying from an exemplar. You can download the Zaner-Bloser exemplar for business penmanship here. Or look through some of the classic books on the Study Resources page to find an exemplar that you like.

If you aren’t studying a traditional script, you can create an exemplar for your own personal handwriting. Simply take your time to produce a complete alphabet of the best possible forms you can produce. Then use that alphabet when you are practicing at normal writing speed.