I can type on QWERTY much faster and more legibly than I can write with a pen. I suspect this is true for most proficient QWERTY typists.

I've never tested it, but you may be right. On the other hand a pen is smaller, and you can draw and doodle with it.

I used to love doodling and drawing, but as soon as I start to write my hand cramps up. I take hand written (short notes) for work and I struggle to read them a month or so later when the context is gone. I also really struggle to spell, and will consistently get common words wrong.

BUT on a keyboard I can type almost as fast as I can think - and I can also spell 90% better - I don't know how it happens but it is like the words 'flow' out of my fingers when i type - and I can easily spell words that if you asked me how to spell I wouldn't have a clue. Also if you asked me to find you a key on a keyboard I'd have to look - but when I'm typing my fingers just know where they are.

I'm a 44 yo successful man, but I still don't know my alphabet well (for example I couldn't start in the middle or recite it backwards) - but put me in front of a keyboard and I can type all day long (note - I am VERY thankful for spellcheck though!)

> as soon as I start to write my hand cramps up.

I always had similar problems in school growing up. A few things that I've found helpful:

- Try a larger pen. It helps you maintain your grip on the pen without as much effort.

- Try a pen with less viscous ink. If you're used to ballpoints, this can mean e.g. a rollerball. This lets you write without putting much pressure on the page, which at least for me significantly helps to avoid hand cramps. (I use fountain pens these days myself which write with even less pressure, but rollerballs are a more familiar starting point.)

Thanks, I think for me part of the cramp is a mental block - I spent a long time hating writing (and English lessons in particular) and being told I was bad at it/lazy.

but as soon as I could type my essays I loved English and writing.

You can also use your pen to draw or doodle on your typewritten documents. Doesn't have to be one or the other.

As an avid pen/paper user I can say that using a pen takes more time, plus you can't OCR it as easily as a typewriter output.

Nevertheless carrying a nice pen and a good notebook always beats having a heavy typewriter with you.

in my case, writing with a pen for long periods of time makes my hand cramp/hurt real bad (i still write on my journal daily but it's not pleasant).

(i don't have a typewriter, but i prefer to type anything because of this).

As a lefty, I've tried writing properly, and tried to like it but I just... Don't.