How do you hold your writing instruments? What are the pros and cons? Have you ever thought about it? And do you sometimes look askance at individuals who inexplicably flourish their pens and pencils in a different way to you?

It's the dynamic quadrupod for me. As I said elsewhere, it can ache after a while but it keeps you sharp, and you can choose to lessen the pressure if in a hurry and perfect handwriting is less important than simply writing a lot, quickly.

Something I learned in the days of written exams. I also used to take two cushions, one to sit on and one for my back, as not being especially well padded of ar*e, sitting on a typical exam hall chair for several hours would become sore otherwise.

I did also used to take a box of tissues in case an invigilator had to be summoned by me to give some to a sniffer in my vicinity. As a final caution, I sought permission before the start to leave for a cigarette at the half way mark. Most were amenable.

I just hold a pen the standard way but make sure to carry my own chunky pen around with me, so I don't have to use thin ones.

I am always startled by the sight of celebrities who manage to autograph things by holding the very far end of the pen like it's a wand. How do they even manage to coordinate the thing?

Lateral tripod, or as I was once rudely told by a fellow schoolchild, 'You hold your pen like a plotter.'

Despite that I have nice handwriting which is widely admired. I love it when I get to write on a whiteboard at work and people compliment me.

Apparently, I'm a dynamic tripod.

A diagram provided might be helpful.



Anyway, apparently I'm a dynamic quadrupoder, although I hold the pen or pencil very close down to the tip and on occasion even bring my little finger in, creating a kind of dynamic 'quintropod' effect to aid with further and X-TREME support and nib control.

Fangirl - I agree, it's a nice thing to have noticed. I myself mourn the days of overhead projectors with acetate sheets that people could admire my Italics on.

Wendi - I agree, the worst i think were the tiny skinny red ones you used to get in Argos. I suppose they made them like that so nobody would want to steal them, but they were very awkward to use. I also tend to carry my own - chiefly a Waterman fountain pen with blue ink cartridges, a black roller point pen, and a silver refillable pencil which may be from Parker (just looking at it, it doesn't say) and has its own rubber hidden in the middle. I do have others but those three are my mainstays. I used to use a Portuguese fountain pen encrusted with glittering rhinestones for signing receipts, pre PIN days. Just the other day my mother admitted to stealing one of my Moroccan, multicoloured silk thread wrapped, topped with ostrich feather plume, pens.

Nightjar - you haven't voted!

Ahh, almost undetectable - it is Parker, it's on the gold band that joins the two silver bits together. I thought it was, it's that kind of style.

I do so little handwriting these days my writing has gone to pot.

Lucky my tpying skills are so good!

I always use a basic Parker cartridge pen for my diary, permanent blue ink, narrow feint paper at least 80gsm.

I use a pencil for most other writing, preferably an F grade, the elusive one between HB and H.

WhatDoesThisButtonDo? wrote:

I do so little handwriting these days my writing has gone to pot.

Lucky my tpying skills are so good!

Not that good, you haven't voted.