Bad Handwriting and Autism

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I just changed my vote from "bad" to "could be better." I'm realize that maybe I'm little bit perfectionist when it comes to handwriting (I used to bawl my eyes out when I first started learning to write because it just wasn't "right"). My handwriting may not be cutesy or pretty but at least it's legible. As someone who has spent a lot of my time drawing and writing for fun, I would think that my fine motor skills are above average.

My handwriting is very childish looking. I prefer typing more than writing.

As a youngster, I was continually getting my fat arse beat by my parents, as well as teachers, for my sloppy penmanship. I also caught hell in college, especially in music theory because my assignments looked like what the musicians in Hollywood termed as flysh!t. Having carpal tunnel syndrome surgery hasn’t helped, because my hands can lock up on me at any time.

My handwriting can be good, but it takes a decent mental effort to do so. During tests or assignments, it can be legible, but some parts are more messy.
It also took me longer to write; I learned how to write at 6, but could not write sentences until I was 10-11. I could read early, but often could not get the words out.

Crappy, but eligible.
I have 2 handwritings -- one is for others to read, the other one is mine. The former is usually round and wide, and it takes some time. The latter is jagged and thin, and it's quick with plenty of errors done.

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It was always a pressure point.
It is a task in itself to make a pleasing script or one which is easy to read.

However, in the school and college setting it is combined with the task of having something to communicate through writing.

Having something to communicate was rarely a problem, BUT, getting it down on the paper, keeping up with the flow of ideas, avoiding having to make two many crossings out etc for which I would be penalised, now that was a vexed question and a half.

So my schoolwork in English, History, Languages, Geography, in fact any subject requiring lots of writing, was always finding the equilibrium point, having enough really good work to convey that the credit for the content was more than the marks lost for poor handwriting, presentation etc. Funy I dropped all the wordy subjects as soon as I was able. History went out (had to loose geography as well) in exchange for German for the first big set of exams, then for the final years I took Physics (equations, diagrams, short sentences with minimal padding required), Maths, (Minimal writing and it is the tool which unlocks physics) but strangely Music (it was a strong interest, it was quite hard, so the ideas in the essays came at about the write speed for putting them down on the paper, and music manuscript is a lot less effort that writing reams of text)

Since those days handwriting has become even worse, as I type anything others need to read. Manuscript tends to be confined to my private journal which is written for my eyes.

Unlike the the computer the written page is write once and permanent, or write it all out again.

My handwriting has always been awful, even when I really slow down and try hard it still looks bad.

Having to write on a board when teaching made my handwriting improve from 'bad' to 'okay'.

I have a dyspraxia diagnosis (no autism one, though), although my handwriting's always been just about legible, I don't think I could make it very neat even with lots of practice.

Oh well. Pretty soon people won't be writing anything by hand anymore, not even a grocery list. I read yesterday that some schools have already stopped teaching how to write in cursive because everyone types everything now.

I guess soon if you do anything by hand and not by computer people will think you're weird and totally behind the times. Writing. Reading books. Music. Art. Drawing cartoons. There goes my only real purpose in life.

Mine is okish. It can be pretty off sometimes though. When I was a kid however.....

So far the results appear to be a bit mixed but mostly ranges from "Needs improvement to bad bad bad. Interesting poll results!