Writing neatly in a greeting card

Cards are a wonderful way to send a message to a friend, loved one or colleague. However, just because you’re sending friendly thank yous or congratulations cards by hand doesn’t mean they should be sloppy. If you’re not used to writing a lot by hand, it can be kind of hard to write in a straight line. Greeting cards don’t have guidelines, so your writing might start to slant up or down, which does not look very good. So, here are a few ways to help you keep your card writing clean and consistent:

Make guidelines
To keep your writing even, you’ll want to make a few guidelines on your paper. Using a ruler and a pencil, carefully rule lines onto your card. The size will vary depending on how much you plan to write. Make sure you press softly on the pencil so the lines can easily be erased, as well.

Once your guidelines are down, write out your message with a pen. When your message is complete, set it aside for a few minutes so the ink can fully dry before running an eraser across the whole card. This will erase the guidelines and leave you with a straight, neat note.

Plan the message
Spelling mistakes in your writing not only jar the reader out of your story, but also look unprofessional. Avoid making these errors by writing a draft of your message on a scrap piece of paper. Spell check any words you’re unsure about for this practice writing. Once you’re sure everything is accurate, copy the message onto your greeting card.

Use a good pen
Not using the proper writing tools can make your work messy. To keep your writing clean, use a good pen. If you have a writing tool that sometimes spits out globs of ink or cuts out while you’re writing, you should probably use a more reliable pen.

Also, unless you’re writing to a close friend, stick to traditional ink colors like blue or black. Sending a note to a colleague in green, for instance, would look unprofessional.

Practice good posture
You’d be surprised how much posture can effect your handwriting. It’s not like working on a computer, where you can slouch all you want and the letters come out clean. When you’re writing by hand, everything, from the way you hold your pen to the way you sit in the chair can impact how your writing turns out. To ensure you create neat words every time, set up a little writing station whenever you sit down to send letters or cards. This can either be done at a desk or you could even use a TV tray if you wanted to work in the living room. Either way, make sure you’re sitting up straight so you have good control over your movements.

Take your time
Rushed writing creates sloppy, inconsistent letter forms. Put some effort into your note by slowing down and taking the time to write a neat letter. Your readers will appreciate the clear letter forms that are easy to read.