The lost art of handwriting

Write by hand, write by typing. This is really about having the ability that was all of Marcel Proust when he tried to explore space, time and memory in his famous novel. It took him fifteen years, it's true. I do not know, nor could I, after having accidentally found this notebook of my wife, dated over half a century ago. I should be able to associate all the possible impressions that emerge not only in my mind, but also from that of whoever wrote and translated all those passages by hand for his French exam at university.

Moments of connection with the past that is awaken in the present, looking at the harmony of those graphic forms that renew sensations, perceptions, memories and lost moments.

It almost seems to me to re-live, to review the universe of those who wrote with their hand. Is it possible to say the same thing about this writing that I produce with my fingers by typing these words of mine on the keyboard? Writing by hand may seem an outdated art in the digital age, but it is not at all.

Viewing these texts offers confirmation of the countless benefits that have been studied by researchers, brain neurologists, therapists, educators and others who continue to think that handwriting must continue to have a reason for being in an age of technology. advanced.

A type of writing certainly slower than typing, but which gives the brain more time to process information and stimulate the neurological connections that help in memory, concentration and composition.

Furthermore, the handwriting process can also have a calming effect and serve as an excellent form of meditation. A good way to express your individuality and personal style. In a book entitled "The Lost Art of Handwriting", the author explores the history of this writing by reintroducing sequences of strokes, letter shapes and techniques suitable for evaluating and improving handwriting.

Unsurprisingly, as technology has become more and more integrated into our daily lives, the traditional act of writing with a pen has somehow been forgotten.

 The ease of word processing documents, as well as the development of applications that allow us to synchronize our notes across multiple devices, have made the purpose of handwriting almost redundant.

Handwriting instead strengthens our reading and language processing skills, allows time to slow down the thought process, enabling the writer to think about words, the way they are written, and the structure of writing: it makes the most proficient writer in the language he is using. Handwriting can also improve our memory.

Research has found that handwriting creates unique pathways in the brain by making those who wrote their notes by hand remember the content better than those who typed them on the keyboard.

The physical act of writing can also have other advantages, in particular with creative writing. Writing with pen and paper helps free us from the distractions of the digital world. As you type there can be a tendency to change as you go along rather than letting your ideas flow.

This can be counterproductive to the creative process. With a blank piece of paper, you tend to simply write, put your ideas on paper, and leave the editing process until later.

Pen and paper can allow us to think more freely when brainstorming. You have a blank page, a pen, and no restrictions on where you can write, allowing you to connect things together, circle important points, and add margin notes wherever it makes sense. Many believe this can now be done on a computer, but as previously mentioned, distractions introduced with a computer or tablet can often disrupt the creative flow.

Finally, there is another point, but no less important, that writing is a unique and irreplaceable part of our culture. This is especially true for written languages ​​composed of characters such as Mandarin but also for letters in English. Handwriting styles are unique to the individual and something that simply cannot be replicated with a keyboard. Handwriting is part of our civilization, it is part of the identity of our culture and not just a communication tool.

I think there is another level of importance in handwriting as well, a cognitive argument about how information is processed when we write it. Handwriting engages us in a relationship with the written word that is sensual, immediate, and individual. There is a feeling that it is a much more physical act when you write by hand as opposed to a computer and makes you think of your writing more like art. There is something incredibly powerful about leaving your mark on paper. It is the moment when an idea leaves your mind and looks back at you for the first time.

 We are unable to replicate that experience digitally. The experiences are different and also very important. They all deserve another speech that I plan to make another time. If these are the merits and advantages of handwriting, they are no less than those of digital writing. Different, original and important.