Beautiful handwriting is often admired, but many adults are dissatisfied with their own handwriting as it often becomes illegible over the years. The following section provides tips on how to improve your own handwriting without focusing on calligraphy or hand lettering, but rather on optimising your individual handwriting. Legibility plays a central role here.
To begin with, it must be emphasised that handwriting is something personal that develops over time. Clear, legible handwriting is not only functional, but also an expression of personality. Graphology even investigates how character traits can be reflected in handwriting, which provides additional incentive to work on your handwriting.
Here are some concrete tips for improving handwriting, starting with choosing the right pen. A fountain pen is particularly suitable as it makes writing easier and favours neat handwriting. The paper should also match the writing instrument, with smooth paper recommended for fountain pens and textured paper for felt-tip pens. Practising on blank paper is avoided, as lines or squares provide better orientation.Another important point is the correct pen position. The classic three-finger grip, in which the pen rests on the middle finger and is held with the thumb and index finger, ensures more control and less tension. Loosening exercises for the fingers and wrist can help to avoid cramps. It is recommended that you keep correcting yourself to the correct posture when practising in order to develop neat handwriting in the long term.
Posture also plays a decisive role when writing. An upright sitting position and the relaxed execution of the writing movement from the arm instead of from the wrist lead to better results. When practising, you should proceed step by step, starting by writing the alphabet in upper and lower case neatly and slowly in order to optimise your handwriting and identify problem areas.
Another criterion for beautiful handwriting is the uniformity of the letters and spacing between the words. Particular attention should be paid to the distinction between upper and lower case letters. Here it helps to practise with a three-line ruler, as used in primary school.
However, the most important prerequisite for beautiful handwriting is continuous practice. The brain needs time to get used to new movements. The more often you write by hand – be it for shopping lists, to-do lists or letters – the faster your handwriting will improve. The increasing use of smartphones in particular means that handwriting is being neglected, so every opportunity to practise is valuable. Patience and concentration are crucial, but with regular practice, beautiful handwriting will once again become a natural part of writing.