I dearly love to write. It’s one of the favourite things that I do. However, I came upon a book that I bought 40 years ago, in the flyleaf of which I had written. I compared my writing then with my writing now and I am sad to say that despite my best efforts my writing was better then than it is now. The reason, quite simply, is arthritis. There are certain of the small movements one makes in writing that induce pain. You learn to avoid them and to create letters in a way that doesn’t hit the nerves. I have noticed that my “ing” has become a squiggle followed by a letter that is in no alphabet known to mankind. After all the effort I have put in over the years to make my writing at least legible I am quite sad at what is happening to it.
Am I alone in this? Do any of you find your writing deteriorating or changing with advancing years?
Goodwriterspens's Blog 
Dear Deborah, I quite understand the problem. You seem to use mostly vintage pens which, for the most part, are rather thinner than modern pens. I have found that using a thicker bodied pens helps me a bit. I don't seem to have to grip it too hard. Anyway, works for me. Or at least it helps a bit.
Best,
David
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2024 at 8:59 AM
Hi David,
That’s part of the answer but not all. I even have a rubber gadget that I can slip over the barrel of a slender pen to give a thicker grip. It helps but still hurts.
My has steadily declined for horrible to illegible. It now resembles the German script known as Sütterlin ie: squiggly lines.
Oh dear! I’m not quite that bad yet!
Dear Deb, You’re not Robinson Crusoe in that department. My writing has its good moments, and many bad. There is arthritis at the base of my thumb, accompanied by general stiffness of the knuckles. What’s notable is the way in which various pens affect my handwriting, while there seems to be no pattern or rule of thumb that can predict the outcome. A Waterman 52 will feel just as comfortable and produce an equally reasonable script as a Conway Stewart 58, while similarly-sized pens of other makes are hopeless for me. Admittedly, these days I cannot use a quill with confidence. Best wishes from Decimus.
Flash sends good wishes to your four-legged companions. Old age cometh not alone. It sounds as though your hands are in the same condition as mine. It is frustrating but as my husband would say, “soldier on!”
Yes, it’s happening to me, too. One thing that’s helping a lot is that I’m knitting again. My (limited) understanding is that osteoarthritis involves tiny bone spurs forming at the joint surfaces of bones, and the right kind of exercises can keep those ground off for maximum mobility. Knitting happens to work for my case, and it keeps pain and cramping to a minimum. If I skip a few days I really feel it. Not suitable for rheumatoid arthritis I think, and in any case your mileage may vary. Another thing that’s helping is a flex pen, it makes my penmanship nicer enough that I slow down and try to remember how to make all my letter forms.
That’s good, Laura. I have exercises for my neck which work well and keep the pain to a minimum. Unfortunately for me the exercises for the hands don’t help much. Perhaps I should take up knitting! Seriously, I am so glad you have found something that helps.