To find out more about the art of handwriting and all the powers behind this undeservedly forgotten skill, we spoke with Lauren Mooney Bear, the chairperson for the “Campaign For Cursive” and the “Cursive is Cool Contest” for kids grades 1-8. “Campaign For Cursive” is part of the American Handwriting Analysis Foundation (AHAF). Lauren has been a handwriting analyst and graphologist since 1985.

If you’re wondering whether you have a talent for handwriting or not, Lauren said that anyone’s capable of it. “Handwriting, cursive writing and even calligraphy can be learned by anyone and improved upon with practice. There is an endless variety of personalities and the form of one's writing will ultimately reflect the personality and thinking processes of the individual writer.” Lauren added that calligraphy is a highly stylized form of written communication, yet it will still yield some personality traits.

Moreover, writing styles can be developed through practice. Lauren shared some tips on how to do that: “Choose a simple 'copybook' or style you wish to adopt. Practice needn't be arduous or painful. With only a short period daily, a person will master a good script in no time. Using colored pencils really helps to embed the cursive movements into the memory.”

She continued: “We also suggest playing light classical music during practice to help relaxation and improve rhythm and writing fluidity. One of the fun programs, for adults and youth, is called CursiveLogic (links below), another one is New American Cursive.”

Moreover, handwriting can be thought of as brainwriting: all of the electrical impulses that make you 'you' are in your writing, the handwriting analyst explained. “It is normal for handwriting to change as your thinking and emotions are changing but your core personality traits will always be there.”

That means that handwriting can tell more about our personalities than we’d think. “If a person tends to be cerebral and introverted with good attention to detail, it will show up in the spacing, size of writing, slant, even the punctuation and upper loops, among other things. If someone is outgoing, verbose, the center of every party, it will show in their handwriting. You might find larger, far right slanting script, open tops on the lower case o's and a's, small or no margins, and other indicators.”

Incredibly, even complex personality and behavior traits can be seen in the writing, like “manipulative traits, honesty, sense of humor, sarcasm. Handwriting can show math or artistic aptitudes.” Lauren also said that an expert can even see if a couple might be compatible or if one is well suited for a particular type of employment. “Of course, the writing must be seen as a whole, one trait alone means nothing,” she added.

When asked whether handwriting is being pushed away by typing, Lauren confirmed that many of our youth are not being taught or are overwhelmed by the use of technology. “However, it is good to know that at present, 25 states have mandates that some sort of cursive/handwriting be taught in schools. Scientific research has shown that the students who learn cursive at a younger age do far better in secondary schools and in universities and tend to excel in math, science and the arts,” she added.

“The good news is that newer technology will be using handwriting. Google and other tech companies are developing apps and input devices which will help to turn the tide. We are already seeing a rise in YouTube videos about handwriting, how-to's, and handwriting analysis,” Lauren explained. She concluded that once the tide begins to turn, it will move much faster than expected.

Sheila Lowe, president of the American Handwriting Analysis Foundation (AHAF), also told Bored Panda that “throughout history, people who knew how to write have been more highly regarded than those who were illiterate. It’s really important that as a society, we give our children the many benefits that come with learning this important lifelong skill.”

The president at AHAF added that, “Dr. Jane Yank, research chair of our organization, the American Handwriting Analysis Foundation, has recently updated our white paper on why handwriting is important in a digital age. The research that supports the importance of handwriting training is coming in so fast and furious, we can hardly keep up.”