Writing the wrong way

Last night, I realized something. For my entire life (since I was three), I have held pens and pencils wrong. I noticed that nobody else in my house holds a pen the same way as I do. I have no idea when I picked up the grip that I have been using for as long as I can remember, but I suspect that I got it when I first started writing with pencils and crayons in preschool.

When I first realized this, I was shocked and slightly upset that I had been writing “wrong” for so long! I was honestly in disbelief because I was sure that I wrote the right way and that I wrote completely normally. However, I was wrong. I tried using the trifold grip and while I could write okay, the text I wrote felt too large and it was fairly slow. I bet that if I had stuck to the trifold grip for several weeks, my handwriting would improve, and my writing speed would also improve. I’m considering trying it, but I don’t know how it would work out.

Pros of switching to a “proper” grip

1. With practice, I could write faster and potentially improve my handwriting.
2. I will hopefully have less hand cramps while writing for long periods of time, which often discourage me from writing with a pen and paper instead of typing everything I write instead.
3. My handwriting will be more legible (although to be fair, it is still pretty good).

Cons of switching to a “proper” grip

1. It will take a while to adjust to the new grip. During this time period, my handwriting and writing speed will suffer.
2. I have been writing like this for a long time and these habits are deeply ingrained in my muscle memory. Because of this, I will need to be conscious of the grip I use in order to not inadvertently switch to my old grip.
3. While trying to get a handle on the “proper” method, I might have more hand cramps.

I felt disappointed that I had been writing the “wrong” way for so long. However, I then realized something. I wasn’t writing the wrong way.
In my opinion, there is only one way to write “wrong”; not writing at all. Words are truly beautiful and paint a stunning picture: colorful and breathtaking, with details that bring it all together. Without writing, our society would cease to exist.

We tell our stories in writing– we share our lives.
We need writing.

So get out there, write something small, write something beautiful!

The only wrong way to write is to not write at all.