Tips for Improving Your Writing Skills

For individuals with partial vision

Many individuals with partial sight or low vision write with cursive handwriting or print using pens or pencils on standard paper. They may prefer black or dark blue ink to lighter coloured inks. They may also find writing on matte, off-white, or ecru-coloured sheets of paper preferable to writing on a standard white, glossy sheet of paper, which may produce glare.

They may use optical or non-optical devices to assist them in seeing what they have written, such as, glasses, hand-held or stand magnifiers, and video magnifiers (also called CCTVs). If they are using the video magnifiers, they may need training or practice to become proficient with writing on the xy table (the table the reading or writing material sits on underneath the camera) while looking at the monitor or picture being magnified on the screen.

There are more and more people with partial sight who write primarily using computer technology to generate print. They write using a standard keyboard (or occasionally a large print keyboard if they’ve been unable to memorize the keys) and print out what they’ve written on standard printers.

You may want to consider whether any of the following writing techniques or strategies might prove helpful to you at work:

Use a dark, felt-tipped pen; however, remember that the wider the tip, the larger your letters will need to be to keep the lines from running together. Also, be aware that less expensive, more porous paper may cause difficulties for you because the ink may bleed.
Use bold-lined or raised-line paper to help you write in a straight line. Or, you may want to use a full-page writing template – there are rigid templates (heavy paper or cardboard sheets with rectangular blocks or spaces cut out for writing) and there are flexible templates (a page-sized rigid square of cardboard, metal, or wood with string or elastic cord to guide you). Flexible templates allow for making letters that drop below the line such as “g” or “p”.
Use the forefinger on your non-dominant or “free” hand to help keep your place as you move from line to line.
Work at a desk or workstation with good task lighting and use a space where the surface contrasts with what you are writing on. A dark desk surface, for example, will make it easier to see the edges of a sheet of paper and will help keep you from running off the page.
Use writing guides such as typoscopes. Writing guides are usually made out of a dark cardboard sheet with block openings cut out that correspond to the lines on a typical tablet of paper. There are specialty writing guides for performing tasks such as writing cheques, addressing an envelope, or signing your name.
If you need to attend to something else before you finish writing a note or message, mark the spot you reached with a paperclip so that you can easily find your place when you return to complete the writing task.
For jotting down short notes on-the-fly, you may want to consider a digital recorder. You can write out what you’ve recorded later when you are back at your desk or home.
Use your writing skills so that you don’t lose them! Check in periodically with others to ensure that they can read your handwriting.

For individuals who are blind

Braille is the preferred writing medium for many individuals who are blind. They may handwrite notes using a mechanical braille writer or a slate and stylus. They will produce braille labels, notes, and papers using these tools.

Some blind individuals write using electric braille writers or an electronic braille writer like the Montbatten. However, like people with low vision, many individuals who are blind prefer to write for themselves and others using computer technology. They write using a standard keyboard and print out what they’ve written on standard printers for others and/or create braille for themselves, using a braille embosser.

You may want to consider whether any of the following writing techniques or strategies might prove helpful to you at work:

Keep a mechanical braille writer close at hand when you are at work. Keep a slate and stylus handy for quick note-taking. Also, make sure you have a stock of index cards or pre-cut paper if you like to use a slate, like an interline or interpoint slate, which allows you to write on both sides of the page. You may even want to have a collection of different slates for different uses handy: a interline slate for notes; a standard four-line slate; a full page slate; and a single line slate for labeling.
Keep a stock of braille paper available.
Keep a working pen and signature guide handy for when you need to sign documents, vacation requests, time sheets, etc.
If you don’t have a signature guide handy, use a credit card or business card as a guide. Or, you can ask someone to fold the paper where you need to sign and follow the fold line.
Consider using a mechanical braille labeler for creating labels for files, media, equipment, etc.
For handwriting, you may want to keep writing templates nearby, particularly specialty writing guides for performing tasks such as writing cheques, addressing an envelope, or signing your name.
For longer handwritten documents, you may want to have available a full-page writing template – either a rigid template (made of heavy paper or a cardboard sheet with rectangular blocks or spaces cut out for writing space) or a flexible template (a page-sized rigid square of cardboard, metal, or wood and string or elastic cord lines to guide you). Flexible templates allow for making letters that drop below the line such as “g” or “p.”
Use the forefinger on your non-dominant, “free” hand to help you keep your place as you move from line to line.
If you need to attend to something else before you finish writing a note or message, mark the spot you reached with a paperclip so that you can easily find your place when you return to complete the writing task.
For jotting down short notes on-the-fly, you may want to consider a digital recorder. You can write out what you’ve recorded when you are back at your desk or home.
Use your writing skills so that you don’t lose them! Check in periodically with others to ensure that they can read your handwriting.