Hey there! It's Kate from @journalwithkate on Instagram! Today I want to share some tips to help you achieve neat handwriting. It has been one of my goals - for a very long time now - to improve my handwriting. Have you always wanted to improve your handwriting, but don't know where to start? Then this blogpost is for you!

Recommended supplies:

• Journal - I recommend to dedicate a journal to your handwriting journey to keep track of your progress. I love to flip through my journal and see how I've improved. My pick is the Archer and Olive Journal. The pages are bright white and thick, which prevents ghosting and bleeding!
• Pencil and a ruler - Use a pencil to draw guidelines if you need them. I definitely did when I started!
• Your favorite pen - The pen has a great impact on how your handwriting looks. A fine point pen is a must have for neat handwriting! I've used many different pens: ball point pens, fineliners, fountain pens and even a glass pen. The UNI-ball Signo 307 is my all time favorite! Try to experiment with different writing supplies to find the one that you like best. 

Inspiration:

Search for inspiration and look for fonts that are realistic for daily handwriting. You can learn to write in any font that you like. Pinterest is a great resource. You can choose a cursive font, a print fort or both. I recommend you start by learning one at the time. You can print the fonts and keep a reference in jour journal. 

Pen-grams: 

Start by writing some pen-grams of the font you choose. Pen-grams contain every letter of the alphabet. These are great for reference. 

Practice:

Once you've set up the pen-gram, it's time to start practicing:

• Start practicing by writing down the individual letters and repeat the same letter over and over again. You have to write the letters repeatedly for it to become muscle memory. You will improve through regular practice.
• The key is to go very slowly. Stop after each stroke.
• Compare your letters to the reference and see where you need to improve.
• Determine the placement of each letter. It can be either on the top, the middle or the bottom of the dots/line. I find that writing in the middle of the dots/line is more aesthetically pleasing because the white space between your letters and the dots/lines is symmetric. 
• Move the grip on your pen a little closer to the nib for more control.
• Be consistent! "Eveness" is more pleasing than letter formation. For example, you don't want to have two t's that look different from each other. Try to make sure that the size of the letters and the spacing between the letters and the words is consistent. 

After you feel like you've practiced enough, write down some sentences or journal. Daily journaling is a great practice!

Make sure to enjoy this process and be patient with yourself. Muscle memory takes time to develop. If you put in the work you will see results!

Download your pre made practice sheets here: 

I hope I've given you some inspiration on how to start practicing your handwriting. if so, I would love to see your creations, so tag me  (@journalwithkate) and @archerandolive in Instagram. 

Good luck and remember to have fun!