Methods to reduce tremor or shakiness, for fountain pen

[GlenV]

I was wondering what methods people use to lessen tremor, shakiness, with their writing? Does anyone brace with the other hand?

[Graywolf503]

Amazon has a weight that attaches to your hand by an elastic band.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Weighted-Utensils-Pressure-Handwriting-Children/dp/B0CBTKT8RD

 

Although this is for children, it may fit an adult hand. Alternatively, it looks to be soft weighted bag with an elastic band attached to it so that it fits around your hand. It should be simple enough to manufacture one of these.

[XYZZY]

What's the cause of the tremors?  Mine are things I can work around:  my writing is more shaky in the morning.  Wringing my hands and doing some writing helps warm (loosen?) them up.  I don't need to do any proper writing exercises for that, which is good because I detest practicing loops.  Just writing out the day's ToDo list goes a long way.  Not drinking a pot of coffee in the morning would probably also help, but that is not an option.

 

I have a dear friend though who has a degenerative neuro disease whose hand tremors are unavoidable.  The wrist bands in the link that @Graywolf503 shared may help, I have no idea.  But the "also" products on that page led me to post this, as it was an idea I was already thinking:  add some weight, especially to the back end of the pen.  I would expect that adding extra mass will damp the tremors: you'll still have them, but the effect will be smaller.  Of course it will change the writing experience as well.  In short, I'm suggesting a flywheel effect.

 

My personal experience there is my Cross Peerless 125:  great nib (by Sailor, not Cross), horrible pen design that is way too backweighted.  I find it a bit of a challenge to write with and pull it out every now and then simply for that experience (and the nib), but I also find that those morning shakes that I wrote about seem reduced.  Is it the weight?  Or is it because it forces me to slow down and be more "intentional" in what I'm doing?  I don't know.

[GlenV]

Mine is like what you describe not bad or severe but frustrating at times. It seems to sometimes be caffeine related also but still I notice it more than a few years ago. I think it’s a familial tremor as my Dad nearly 90 has difficulty writing even though he wrote a nice hand in the past. I have stabilized my R index with the left, and with some practice is workable, I think with an oblique nibholder would be a minimal issue likely.  But I want to use my old pens…

[msilverton]

Avoiding a death grip is mandatory. After an hour of holding my pen tightly, the muscle between my thumb and index finger (in the webbing) starts to twitch. l have to constantly remind myself to loosen my grip.

[antares1966]

I was taught to focus on using the larger muscles of the arm more than the wrist and fingers and that does help me remain steadier.

[vrixton]

For me, being relaxed is an absolute must. Calm mind, calm spirit, and no one else in the house, listening to soothing music if anything helps. However sometimes I stress myself out worrying about messing up what I'm about to work on, and that's no bueno either. The best thing to do is to do a couple strokes, and if you're shaky... put it down and come back when you've gotten out of your head again. At least that's what works for me. But for me, my tremors are mostly psycho-somatic rather than neurological.

[GlenV]

Thank you for your replies not only is frequent practice needed but methods to improve quality through relaxation and proper focus, sometimes I have to just practice on days that shakiness is noted rather than try to do something pretty.  Thank you for stating those things well, I think my shakiness is largely situational at this time as well but is important for handwriting improvement to my way of thinking, thank you all for your comments!

[msilverton]

I guess drills aren't the most exciting thing to do, but I find them very beneficial. Ovals/Push/Pull exercises strengthen my arm and shoulder muscles and get my mind concentrated on writing. They build confidence, steady my nerves, and help me develop a light touch. I prefer to do them in pencil as there's no worries about the nib catching on the paper or the ink saturating the fibers and gumming up the nib. Every book I've ever read on penmanship recommends these drills and it only takes a few minutes to fill a page. 

 

[Doc Dan]

I have found that, with some pens at least, if I refrain from holding the pen close to the nib and instead hold it farther back that it helps me relax and write with a lighter hand. So, changing the hand position and the manner of holding the pen may help.

 

 

[Inkyways]

Lean to write with speed is the way to get the shaky hand shake off. So it should be done as Drills as <<  above post >>  of certain strokes for the beginning.

it is  done some times by counting  certain  strokes fo a minutes. example 250- 300 strokes per minutes.

AS the benign accuracy is not counted and once you get used to the drill then you are focusing on perfection of form and  the counts that must be in the time period.  So the constant drilling lead you to find a certain speed of your writing every stroke that allow you to produce smooth wobble free and prefect shapes you want to achieve in your CURSIVE OR LETTERING SAMPLES. 

 

Things to avoid .

 

Death grip of the pen/ pencil, Avoiding try-pod grip  or the classic hold by  handing  the wrist. avoid finger moments lead the pen.

Lean to do Different hand moment ( wrist , arm and the whole  arm  moment ) and knowing to understand the different.

 

All of these knowledge will not come at once  but by certain period of time by doing a due diligent  .. PRACTICE MAKe PERFECT . But that perfectness do not exist  so need to keep on doing forever. 

 

 

[GlenV]

Thank you for that advice, your lettering is beautiful, I think the practice aspect for controlled speed is a big deal. I seem to have developed a lettering style of 

my own a bit that I need to improve to more standard copperplate or engravers style yet but it's fun and a learning process. I like to find something to write out like a 

poem, ect, but need to work more on drills for consistency. 

[kealani]

  On 1/23/2024 at 9:08 PM, GlenV said:

I was wondering what methods people use to lessen tremor, shakiness, with their writing? Does anyone brace with the other hand?

Expand  

I have "benign tremors" and nerve, arthritis, and other issues in my arms and hands and fingers. It can be very frustrating to write legibly and enjoy writing well and crafting a nice letter.

1 I write when my hands and "self" feel well and it is most enjoyable to do so.

2 practice writing in a style or altered style or adapted hand to your "hand". Do that.

3 Switch to pens or gel pens or pencils or whatever works best for you than what you are doing now.

4 Switch to a paper that's less slippery, try other papers.

5 Try a vintage restored electric or manual typewriter.

6 Do whatever you need to do to continue to enjoy writing on paper no matter how you do it. What matters most in the long run are the words on the page and what you convey to the reader.

 

j kealani

[torstar]

not these

 

the small print cautions that it's not effective on roadrunners

 

trippy... 

 

[Inkyways]

  On 1/27/2025 at 1:08 PM, kealani said:

I have "benign tremors" and nerve, arthritis, and other issues in my arms and hands and fingers. It can be very frustrating to write legibly and enjoy writing well and crafting a nice letter.

1 I write when my hands and "self" feel well and it is most enjoyable to do so.

2 practice writing in a style or altered style or adapted hand to your "hand". Do that.

3 Switch to pens or gel pens or pencils or whatever works best for you than what you are doing now.

4 Switch to a paper that's less slippery, try other papers.

5 Try a vintage restored electric or manual typewriter.

6 Do whatever you need to do to continue to enjoy writing on paper no matter how you do it. What matters most in the long run are the words on the page and what you convey to the reader.

 

j kealani

Expand  

 

Try to understand the cause of those Issues like arthritis.  Closely monitor what you consume  Ex. what is in the glass ( Water) /what is on the he plate.

The lifestyle is the main reason why we have them. I am talking about by my own experience. I had it ,some of them then got rid of them as well. The age is nothing to do with that.

Actually  going through a period of time and knowing that we are old and getting to understand the symptom as finding anomaly as named dis eases is the situation. 

 

Doing some therapeutic exercise for the  fingers, arm and Palm is a starting point. and avoid all food and drinks  that causes the arthritis. 

Using suitable pen/ holders to suit the comfortable grips to write with. Avoid letting the hand to over stress for forcing long hours keep writing. 

Your No2 is not very sensible way to put is in a right way. When I  learn a style I don't choose anything priorities to be in my  comfort zone and get involve doing it.

If you need changes you have get your hand to do it and let the hand to do it. So let the hand to find the way , finding it ways downs and up to master it to a satisfying level.

This is where the drills and exercises are playing an important place. There are rules but gins I learning  knowing them and then making new rules is the way to go. That said you don't have to follow the rules.

 

These are the simple things I learn and all point you have mentions are very important to be a GOOD PEN MAN AND A CALLyGRAPHER. Basically you can  easy be calligrapher than a good penman.