The By Hand Book Club
My new book By Hand is already prompting such fascinating discussions–the term “crusade” has been bandied about–that I’ve decided to launch the By Hand Book Club (BHBC).
It will build on the amazing success of the online Writing Beyond Writing Book Club, which arose out of the launch of Writing Beyond Writing and continued on roughly every other Sunday for no less than two years, drawing in over 150 people and sparking some of the most engaging and far-ranging conversation I’ve ever been involved in.
BHBC will also mark my transition to Cambridge, in England. The first five-week session will begin on Sunday, January 18th and run for five consecutive Sundays for 90 minutes, starting at 5 p.m. GMT. Topics will be:
Week 1: Shame. Literally 90% of all the people I interviewed for By Hand were ashamed of their handwriting–hated it, described it in some cases as being that of a serial killer. Where does such depth of feeling come from? Were you taught to be ashamed of your writing? Has it deteriorated over time? What does it mean to you now? As you can see, these sessions are not lectures–they are a chance for you to share, describe and discuss your own experiences, to see what we collectively can make of it all.
Week 2: Invention. Literally everyone I interviewed has adapted the style of writing they were taught in order to make it their own–a change that happens remarkably often around puberty. In what way(s) did you design your own writing, and what difference did that make for you? Is writing’s quintessential appeal, in fact, that we can make it our own, that we can make it part of the way in which we identify ourselves to the world?
Week 3: Illustration. What does your handwriting display about yourself? It has been said that handwriting is like a seismograph, registering every internal force acting on and within the writer. This week we dive deep into the micro-movements of the hand, the waves of the brain, the currents running through the arm.
Week 4: Digitization. What have the digital tools of the past decade, and artificial intelligence, done to handwriting? Are they enemies? Can they coexist? If so, what is the value of handwriting in a digital world?
Week 5: The Journal. Perhaps the best-kept secret about handwriting is the almost miraculous health benefits of keeping a journal. Do you write a journal? What part does it play in your life? Is a journal only for relief at times of stress? Does typing have the same benefits as handwriting?
To join the five-week course costs $45, which includes my emailing you the digital edition of By Hand. There is no homework, though there is recommended reading. Each session is recorded, so anyone who misses that Sunday can see the recorded version.
Sign up here:
January 21, 2026 @ 6:01 pm
I have NEVER been ashamed of my handwriting. Since I was a little child, I have seen my handwriting as a high art form – a visible expression of all that I am and all that I love about the World. Maybe that’s because my father, an artist, had lots of letter books for me to study. Maybe that’s because I had a second grade teacher who instructed me in the Palmer Method and advised her students that they would be judged in life by the quality of their penmanship. Whatever the cause or source of inspiration, I take great pleasure in inscribing my name and receiving praise for the beauty of my handiwork whether on checks, on personal or professional correspondence, or on other documents. Too bad I couldn’t demonstrate my handwriting skill in this comment box.
January 21, 2026 @ 6:29 pm
Email a photo of your handwriting to tim@endangeredalphabets.com!