The Bullet Journal opened a lot of doors for people to put pen to paper, choose analog tools over digital, and journaling in general. One thing that bullet journaling challenged was handwriting. Let’s face in, in the digital era – the rise of iPhones, tablets, and the cloud, a lot have abandoned writing on paper for these. Pens have become less of an every day carry for a lot which goes to show how infrequent handwriting is being practiced.
When we put pen to paper, we’re not just turning on the lights; we’re also turning up the heat. Writing by hand helps us think and feel simultaneously
Ryder Carroll, The Bullet Journal Method
How did it start and how does it work?
After realizing that the bullet journal community had become more keen on improving their handwriting, Kim of Tiny Ray of Sunshine thought of turning it into a challenge. So in 2016, 4 Bullet Journalists namely Kim (Tiny Ray of Sunshine), Kara (Boho Berry), Jessica (Pretty Prints and Paper), and Dee (Decade Thirty) collaborated to start a challenge focused on improving handwriting called Rock Your Handwriting.
Basically, all you need to do is to:
- Answer the prompts by writing on your notebook/journal/random piece of paper
- Take a photo of your writing sample
- Share your progress on the RYH channels. Instagram: use the #RockYourHandwriting hashtag in the caption or if you prefer sharing on Facebook, upload the photo to the group.
- Be supportive and encourage each other!
A few things to note:
- From the Facebook group: You do NOT need ANYTHING you don’t already have. The point is to rock YOUR handwriting and that doesn’t need to be in any specific pen or ink or style – just your everyday handwriting. This isn’t a lettering or calligraphy challenge, but a way for you to refine your everyday script.
- From the Facebook group: It’s progress – yes, there are people with incredible handwriting in this group, but the point is to show YOUR progress no matter where you’re at.
- From Tiny Ray of Sunshine: Don’t worry too much if you miss a day here and there – jump back in when you can or when the prompt inspires you!
It’s really that simple! Prompts are great and you can also consider them as a journaling prompts too. I participate every now and then especially when I run out of ideas for things to write (I write 3 pages of streams of consciousness every day). I encourage you to join because if you’re looking for an excuse to use your notebooks and pens, this is a really good one! And more importantly, the RYH community is very supportive and you get to meet new friends.
Great Examples
Check out the #rockyourhandwriting hashtag on Instagram!
You will see a lot of fountain pen users here but I want to assure you that this challenge is not ONLY for fountain pen users but really for ANYONE who wants to improve their handwriting.
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