Hello, From A Newbie!

[Zavan]

Hi!

 

I've never been tremendously good at these posts -- though I think this is a generic line that everyone seems to write before they begin their introduction. I'll just get to it. I'm Zavan, a postgraduate student and Cognitive Science hopeful from the UK. Most of my research concerns itself around the idea of embodied cognition, and I'd love to discuss this with some of you if you're interested.

 

What does this have to do with the forums, though? Well, nothing really. I've registered here because my handwriting has always been god-awful. I'm left-handed and dyslexic, which is a pretty bad combination as far as good writing is concerned. The dyslexia meant that during primary school I missed out on writing lessons and had to sit with the remideal kids learning the difference between A's and E's (I can still remember a stupid rhyme we were taught for exactly this purpose). I think this was a bit of a waste of time for me, and especially for developing any form or flow with my handwriting. Although, this does allow me to use the convenient excuse "sorry for the Doctor's handwriting" in everyday situations. It'll have a bit more oomph behind it if I ever get around to completing a PhD, hah.

 

I've just ordered my first fountain pen, a Lamy Safari, picked up a converter and some bottled ink -- Diamine's Midnight, if you're interested -- and made it my two month resolution to learn how to write well. Hopefully being active in a forum dedicated to exactly that will give me some kinda onus to keep on top of things.

 

So, pleased to meet you all. I look forward to catching you around.

[RMN]

Hi and welcome to FPN

 

So a fountainpen as a tool to better writing and not for the fun of fountainpens? Which is OK, as FPs can be a great help in improving your writing skills.

Have you ever written with a fountainpen before? Many have in school, but perhaps because you "missed out on the writing lessons" they transferred you right to the Ballpoints??

 

Fountainpen writing is quite different from ballpoints. I can not guide you to a proper grip as you are left handed. But the writing angle for FPs is around 45 degrees, while a BP writes better at around 70-90 degrees. And BPs need pressure to get the ball to roll, while FPs just need their own weight for contact with the paper, and then the forces of gravity and capillary action come in to play. So you only need a light touch. With a FP you write with your arm muscles, not with the hand muscles.

 

Because of your lack of writing-eduction you will probably not have internalised the proper strokes needed for writing. You can draw a letter, but drawing is conscious. Writing is sub-conscious, it is internalised, just as you do not think about how to shift gears in a car any more after 10.000 miles experience.

 

Get a good writing script somewhere and do your exercises. Write your a's and b's etc by the hundreds on a piece of paper. And then start to combine letter combinations.

 

They'll be able to tell you much better than I can in the Penmanship subforum.

 

Enjoy

 

 

D.ick

[85AKbN]

[notVirtuThe3rd]

Hi! Welcome to FPN.
I'm really glad you've joined us.

 

Have a good day,
VirtuThe3rd

[Clancy]

Hi Zavan, pleased to meet you too. Greetings from California and a warm welcome to FPN. It's great to have you here with us.

Edited February 26, 2014 by Clancy

[PAKMAN]

Hello and Welcome to FPN!! Glad to have you as a member!!

[i4sgeorgiev]

Hello and welcome to FPN!

[Joe in Seattle]

Super. Welcome. Show us some before and after pics later. This is a good place to find support for your endeavor.

[Sasha Royale]

Welcome !

 

I come from the period when dyslexic kids were often cited as "retarded". I spent months in "special class",

with social and intellectual misfits, where I made friends with the "scary" kids of the school system. Mrs.

Thorpe, whose daughter was dyslexic, rescued me. Countless hours of remedial instruction helped me

catch up. By the way,. I developed extreme skills of focus and concentration.

 

Although I have no experience as a left-handed writer, many FPN member have a wide variety of left hand

solutions. They are on the way. Correct me, if I err. I think that tolerance of poor penmanship extends to

medical doctors, only. There is a higher standard for PhD's.

Write with joy, Zavan.

[riccardodebole]

Welcome to FNP !

[Sinistral1]

Welcome! I'm a lefty, too. Find a workbook for the Palmer method of writing for starters, it's what they taught back in the olde days and is a beautiful, simple style of writing. Then just practice, practice, practice. Go slow and be kind to yourself if you don't reform your writing overnight, it will come with time.

 

I hope you can post a photo of your writing as it currently looks, so the experts here can give you some nudges in the write direction! I think I'm pretty clever, others, not so much. Us lefties always have to tackle problems with imagination and creativity, yeah?

[Ghost Plane]

It will help if you tell us if you are an underwriter (hand below the line on the page) or an overwriter (hand hooked up and over)

 

At least lefties are in their right minds.

[Jeje3325]

Welcome to the forum

 

Persevere and you will get better.

 

And most of all, have fun!

[Zavan]

Wow, thanks for the warm welcome. I genuinely don't think I've been received so nicely online somewhere, ever. I do think quite a lot of people may have overestimated me when I'd mentioned not being a good handwriter, though...

 

 

So a fountainpen as a tool to better writing and not for the fun of fountainpens? Which is OK, as FPs can be a great help in improving your writing skills.

Have you ever written with a fountainpen before? Many have in school, but perhaps because you "missed out on the writing lessons" they transferred you right to the Ballpoints??

Fountainpen writing is quite different from ballpoints. I can not guide you to a proper grip as you are left handed. But the writing angle for FPs is around 45 degrees, while a BP writes better at around 70-90 degrees. And BPs need pressure to get the ball to roll, while FPs just need their own weight for contact with the paper, and then the forces of gravity and capillary action come in to play. So you only need a light touch. With a FP you write with your arm muscles, not with the hand muscles.

Because of your lack of writing-eduction you will probably not have internalised the proper strokes needed for writing. You can draw a letter, but drawing is conscious. Writing is sub-conscious, it is internalised, just as you do not think about how to shift gears in a car any more after 10.000 miles experience.

Get a good writing script somewhere and do your exercises. Write your a's and b's etc by the hundreds on a piece of paper. And then start to combine letter combinations.

They'll be able to tell you much better than I can in the Penmanship subforum.

 

Kinda a bit of both, I think. If fountainpens are fun, I'm sure I'll be more likely to stick with it and enjoy things. I've got to be honest in saying that I didn't know that, though (not one bit, actually) so thanks for telling me. I find the idea that you use your arms muscles and not hand muscles especially interesting. I'll be sure to stop by Penmanship and get a headstart!

I come from the period when dyslexic kids were often cited as "retarded". I spent months in "special class",

with social and intellectual misfits, where I made friends with the "scary" kids of the school system. Mrs.

Thorpe, whose daughter was dyslexic, rescued me. Countless hours of remedial instruction helped me

catch up. By the way,. I developed extreme skills of focus and concentration.

Although I have no experience as a left-handed writer, many FPN member have a wide variety of left hand

solutions. They are on the way. Correct me, if I err. I think that tolerance of poor penmanship extends to

medical doctors, only. There is a higher standard for PhD's.

 

Oh god, I can understand that, sans the rescue part. A particularly poignant memory from this period of my life involves a teacher, having marked my work, making me stand in front of my class and write the letter A on the whiteboard until I got it right (I didn't). I'm glad you got out of it, though I'm not so glad there's a higher standard for PhD's... There goes my excuse.

Welcome! I'm a lefty, too. Find a workbook for the Palmer method of writing for starters, it's what they taught back in the olde days and is a beautiful, simple style of writing. Then just practice, practice, practice. Go slow and be kind to yourself if you don't reform your writing overnight, it will come with time.

I hope you can post a photo of your writing as it currently looks, so the experts here can give you some nudges in the write direction! I think I'm pretty clever, others, not so much. Us lefties always have to tackle problems with imagination and creativity, yeah?

 

 

Wow! I just had a look at that. You're right, it's beautiful; I'd love to be able to write like that. Unfortunately, you have extremely overestimated my penmanship. I recently decided it was better for me to write in block capitals as, then, at least I'm somewhat legible. Cursive has never worked for me (but who knows what the future holds, right?).

 

 

 

 

It will help if you tell us if you are an underwriter (hand below the line on the page) or an overwriter (hand hooked up and over)

At least lefties are in their right minds.

 

Aha, I see what you did there. Good one about left handers being right brained.

As for over/underwriting, I've just tried to switch my handwriting to under-, before that I written parallel.

Thanks guys!

[mccshe]

Hi Zavan.

 

One newbie to another, I have no clue as to an interesting way to introduce myself as yet. Unusual for me as I am rarely at a loss for words..lol. Hopefully I can come up with something as I do share a common love of fine writing instruments. I am proud owner of a Sheaffer 346 . Wow I feel silly saying that!!!

 

Anyway my reason for commenting is I am curious about embodied cognition, think I got that right! If you care to elaborate I am all ears, or should I say "eyes". I know, don't give up my day job as my career in comedy doesn't look so promising...haha.

 

I don't know where the Sheaffer falls in the ranks of quality fountain pens , perhaps I'll get some feedback on that.

 

So just a shout out to you,

mccshe

Edited February 28, 2014 by mccshe

[Ursus]

Great having you among us!

[GeekyGirl]

I too am a brand-newbie here, and also a lefty, and I've often thoght I was dislexic as well. Hello to you and welcome, though you joined before me--we dyslexic lefties should probably stick together.

 

I have found that writing with a fountain pen in cursive has forced me to focus on the quality of my writing, which is fairly good, but not where I'd like it to be. But my tendency to write in the air has allowed me to write in a style that looks rather large and loopy with shortcuts on the last letters of some words. I bookmarked a link to the Palmer Methid that Sinistral1 mentioned. I've never heard of this so perhaps we can improve together.

Welcome and best of luck to you!

Edited March 5, 2014 by GeekyGirl

[bluestar]

Welcome to the FPN! Fountain pens require effort to learn well, but do change your writing style. You will write differently, if you practise every day. The lighter touch and use of the arm is key to enjoying your FP. The paper isn't destroyed, either. Bluestar

[Wahl]

[Zavan]

Thanks, again, for the welcome, everyone. I finally got around to starting up an improvement thread over in the penmanship forum, you should check it out if you get the chance!

 

You've all been extremely cool so far, so I'm pretty glad I get the chance to hang around with you lot.

 

I too am a brand-newbie here, and also a lefty, and I've often thoght I was dislexic as well. Hello to you and welcome, though you joined before me--we dyslexic lefties should probably stick together.

 

I have found that writing with a fountain pen in cursive has forced me to focus on the quality of my writing, which is fairly good, but not where I'd like it to be. But my tendency to write in the air has allowed me to write in a style that looks rather large and loopy with shortcuts on the last letters of some words. I bookmarked a link to the Palmer Methid that Sinistral1 mentioned. I've never heard of this so perhaps we can improve together.

Welcome and best of luck to you!

 

Hey. It's good to see more of us kicking about, and I sure do hope we can improve as we get on with things. I've been following the Palmer Method for a bit, but I find that the instructions on the site are really hard to adapt for a leftie. I'm still on the hunt for a good cursive italic resource (though I've been told that learning formal italic first will be extremely beneficial) so if/when I find one, I'll let you know!