Why Handwriting Is Essential for Memory, Learning, Creativity & Personal Growth

This week on the Wednesday article, I explore why in the age of AI, handwriting is still relevant and important for cognitive development.

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We're at the tail end of 2024, and as yet another year passes, and the realisation of my looming yet inevitable annihilation invades my mind–I'm getting older after all, as my dear father keeps reminding me–I wonder what I might have achieved this past twelve months but did not.

Truthfully, it doesn’t matter because the time I had, if it ever existed, is gone, never to be relived. All that remains is merely a thought that it did, and I perhaps wasted it. I might be hastened to add that, at least, I have the future. But on closer examination, I can see that this idea is also merely a figment of my imagination. I can never experience the future because when it arrives (for want of a better word. It doesn’t come from somewhere else, after all), it is still now. The moment we occupy appears to be the only reality, so what we do now seems to me, at least, to be most important. And so, the physical act of writing with a pen and paper has the effect of anchoring us in this reality. I write by hand often, and I recommend it to my coaching and counselling clients as a tool for reorienting thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. It’s a way of processing the day, noticing and reinforcing what’s going well in our lives.

As technology goes, handwriting is perhaps one of the earliest human inventions occurring in its many forms in various cultures over time. In this digital age, however, handwriting has arguably become a rare skill¹. The convenience and speed of keyboards and touchscreens have largely replaced the laborious task of writing with pen and paper. Yet, scientific research continues to uncover significant cognitive advantages of handwriting over typing with a keyboard. From enhancing memory and comprehension to fostering creativity and deeper learning, the physical act of writing engages the brain in ways that typing simply cannot replicate. And not only in the practical sense of getting things done but also in self-reflection, processing personal challenges, and designing the future we desire for ourselves and others.

The Decline of Handwriting in a Digital World

For many, the once-essential skill of handwriting has been relegated to occasional use, replaced by the speed and efficiency of typing. Emails, text messages, and digital notes have made handwritten letters and sticky notes relics of the past. In schools, the emphasis on digital proficiency has led to the introduction of computers at an increasingly early age, with some children learning to type before mastering the art of handwriting². My young daughter, for example, barely needed instruction on how to use a tablet. She became proficient at three or four years old (I am chagrinned to admit). Thankfully, though, her school focuses on handwritten work, so she and her cohort have developed both skills simultaneously. She’s almost 12 now, and her mother and I have strict rules on tablet use, and she doesn’t have a phone. We’re holding off here as long as possible.

Despite the trend towards digital skills, which are undoubtedly important, experts caution against abandoning handwriting altogether. Research has shown that handwriting's slower and more deliberate nature is critical to healthy cognitive development. "There's actually some very important things going on during the embodied experience of writing by hand," says Ramesh Balasubramaniam, a neuroscientist at the University of California³. These benefits are evident not only in children’s literacy development but also in adults’ ability to retain and understand complex ideas. Research shows that this arises from the complexity of the writing process and how it forces the collaboration of different brain systems to reproduce the shapes of letters in our heads onto the page.

Cognitive Benefits of Handwriting

Handwriting is not merely a physical act of recording words; it is a complex process that engages multiple brain regions simultaneously. Unlike typing, which involves repetitive finger movements, handwriting requires fine motor skills, spatial planning, and the integration of visual and tactile feedback. This intricate coordination activates brain areas such as the premotor cortex, Broca’s area (responsible for language processing), and the graphomotor centre, creating a rich neural network that enhances memory and learning⁴.

Studies have consistently shown that handwriting plays a vital role in cognitive development. Longcamp et al. (2005)⁵ found that preschool children who practised handwriting recognised and recalled letters better than those who used keyboards. This is because forming letters by hand reinforces their visual and phonetic structures, embedding them more deeply in the neuronal structures associated with memory. Additionally, the tactile experience of handwriting strengthens neural pathways associated with language and literacy, making it a critical tool for early education. Consequently, we build mental representations of letters and words that, in turn, are associated with the physical world.

Improved Memory Retention

One of the most well-documented benefits of handwriting is its impact on memory retention. Studies show that the slower pace of handwriting forces us to engage more deeply with the material, processing information and summarising it in our own words. According to Mueller and Oppenheimer (2014)⁶, this level of cognitive engagement results in stronger neural encoding and better recall. In their study titled “The Pen Is Mightier Than The Keyboard,” students who took handwritten notes during lectures retained more conceptual information than those who typed notes. Typing often leads to verbatim transcription, a less cognitively demanding process that does not facilitate long-term memory. The study also showed that participants who took longhand notes performed significantly better on conceptual questions than those who used laptops, even when allowed to study their notes later. While laptops allowed more notes to be taken, the higher quantity did not offset the detriment caused by verbatim transcription. Longhand notes still provided better outcomes for encoding and storing the learning materials.

Handwriting also supports working memory and self-regulation. Bara and Gentaz (2011)⁷ emphasised the multisensory nature of handwriting, which engages visual, motor, and spatial systems in the brain. This active involvement helps consolidate knowledge, making handwritten notes more effective for learning and recall than their typed counterparts. The key findings of this study;

1. Children who practiced writing letters by hand showed improved letter recognition abilities compared to those who only engaged in visual or typing exercises. This suggests that the motor activity involved in handwriting reinforces the visual processing of letters.

2. Functional MRI scans revealed that handwriting activates neural circuits associated with reading and writing more robustly than typing or visual learning alone. This indicates that the physical act of writing by hand contributes to developing neural pathways essential for literacy.

3. Handwriting instruction in early education curricula plays a crucial role in developing reading and writing skills. Neglecting handwriting practice may impede the formation of neural connections necessary for literacy.

Research continues to show that handwriting is foundational in literacy and cognitive development. For example, tracing letters by hand rather than typing them improves recognition and understanding of the alphabet. Each attempt at forming a letter strengthens neural communication patterns, aiding in reading and writing skills later in life. The variability in practice—such as writing the letter "A" differently each time—helps children develop a more robust conceptual understanding of the letter's form.

Sophia Vinci-Booher, an educational neuroscientist, found in her study of sensorimotor learning (2024)⁸ that handwriting lessons also improve letter recognition and help children overcome mirror invariance (the tendency to see mirrored letters, like “b” and “d,” as identical). Her research suggests that the fine motor actions required in handwriting “bake-in” neural patterns are essential for recognising this difference. Any parent knows that young children take time to form this differentiation, but it’s the tactile action repeated that aids this recognition.

Creativity and Cognitive Depth

Handwriting’s benefits are not limited to memory and literacy. It also fosters creativity and deep thinking. In an interview with The New Yorker, author Jennifer Egan discussed her writing process. She mentioned that she writes the first draft by hand, resulting in nearly 1,400 pages of manuscript for a recent work⁹. She said handwriting allows her to immerse herself deeply into her characters' perspectives and the narrative's rhythm.

Neil Gaiman also prefers to write first drafts by hand, particularly with fountain pens. In an interview with Tim Ferriss¹⁰, he explained that writing by hand slows him down, allowing for a more deliberate and thoughtful creative process. This method helps him connect more deeply with his storytelling.

A 2021 study by Yang & Liu¹¹ revealed that the choice between handwriting and word-processing significantly affects the creative process. Through a case study of author Fay Weldon, who transitioned from handwriting to word processing in her fiction writing, the research indicated that each medium offers distinct advantages and challenges. Handwriting is associated with deeper cognitive engagement and a more reflective approach, fostering creativity through a tactile and deliberate process. In contrast, word processing provides efficiency and ease of editing, which can enhance productivity but may also lead to a more superficial engagement with the text.

For example, typing allows for near-verbatim transcription during meetings or lectures, but this often leads to passive engagement. On the other hand, handwriting forces individuals to summarise and prioritise key points, aiding in comprehension and long-term retention¹².

What is at Stake?

The decline of handwriting instruction in schools has sparked concern among educators and neuroscientists. Without handwriting instruction, children may miss out on crucial cognitive and motor skill development. Audrey van der Meer warns that children who lack handwriting practice may fail to reach their full cognitive potential, which could have long-term consequences for their ability to learn and process information effectively¹³.

While the cognitive benefits of handwriting are well-documented, digital tools offer undeniable advantages in efficiency and accessibility. Computers and tablets are valuable for research, essay writing, and collaborative work. However, counter-research shows that overreliance on technology can lead to “cognitive offloading,” where the brain delegates memory and problem-solving tasks to external devices. This shift can weaken these cognitive abilities¹⁴.

I still write by hand and encourage my clients to do so, too. Journalling daily, for example, has been shown in therapeutic settings to build the cognitive and non-cognitive skills required to manage life's daily challenges. In a 2023 study of people in substance abuse recovery¹⁵, the journaling practice improved a range of well-being, recovery, and mental health-related factors. The intervention helped participants to recognise what was positive about recovery, to achieve meaningful short-term goals, and to experience a sense of optimism and pride in their accomplishments.

But you don’t need to be in a bad place to obtain the benefits of journalling. In a world increasingly dominated by screens and keyboards, handwriting remains a powerful tool for learning, memory, and creativity. Writing by hand engages the brain in unique and complex ways, fostering a more profound understanding of oneself and the world. While digital tools are indispensable, they should not replace handwriting entirely. By preserving and integrating handwriting into education and daily life, we can ensure that this age-old skill supports cognitive development, understanding, learning and personal development in a digital era.

References

1. Orr, D. (2023). Is Handwriting a Lost Art? Retrieved from https://www.oxfordlearning.com/is-handwriting-a-lost-art/

2. Van der Meer, A., & Van der Weel, R. (2023). Study on brain activity during handwriting and typing. Frontiers in Psychology.

3. Lambert, J. (2024). Why writing by hand beats typing for thinking and learning. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/05/11/1250529661/handwriting-cursive-typing-schools-learning-brain

4. Potgieser, A. R. E., Hoorn, A. van der, & Jong, B. M. de. (n.d.). Cerebral Activations Related to Writing and Drawing with Each Hand. Retrieved from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0126723

5. Longcamp, M., Zerbato-Poudou, M. T., & Velay, J. L. (2005). Writing practice and letter recognition. Acta Psychologica.

6. Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). The pen is mightier than the keyboard: Advantages of longhand over laptop note taking. Psychological science, 25(6), 1159-1168.

7. Bara, F., & Gentaz, E. (2011). Haptics in teaching handwriting: The role of perceptual and visuo-motor skills. Human movement science, 30(4), 745-759.

8. Vinci-Booher, S., McDonald, D. J., Berquist, E., & Pestilli, F. (2024). Associative white matter tracts selectively predict sensorimotor learning. Communications Biology, 7(1), 1-11.

9. Treisman, D. (2023). Jennifer Egan’s Disciplined Restlessness. Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/jennifer-egans-disciplined-restlessness

10. Ferriss, T. (2024). Neil Gaiman - The Interview I’ve Waited 20 Years to Do (#366). Retrieved from https://tim.blog/2019/03/28/neil-gaiman/

11. Yang, H., & Liu, T. (2021, December). The Influence of Handwriting and Word-Processing on Creativity in the Fiction Production: A Case Study of Fay Weldon's Fictions. In 2021 IEEE 21st International Conference on Software Quality, Reliability and Security Companion (QRS-C) (pp. 1145-1152). IEEE.

12. James, K. H., & Engelhardt, L. (2012). The effects of handwriting experience on functional brain development in pre-literate children. Trends in Neuroscience and Education, 1(1), 32–42.

13. Kiefer, M., Schuler, S., Mayer, C., Trumpp, N. M., Hille, K., & Sachse, S. (2015). Handwriting or typewriting? The influence of pen-or keyboard-based writing training on reading and writing performance in preschool children. Advances in cognitive psychology, 11(4), 136.

14. Neuroscience News. (2017). Cognitive Offloading: How the Internet is Increasingly Taking Over Human Memory. Retrieved from https://neurosciencenews.com/memory-internet-cognition-4854/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

15. Krentzman, A. R., Hoeppner, B. B., Hoeppner, S. S., & Barnett, N. P. (2023). Development, feasibility, acceptability, and impact of a positive psychology journaling intervention to support addiction recovery. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 18(4), 573-591.