Handwriting Good for Your Brain?

I've just read this fascinating article about how handwriting boosts your brainpower. I'm not trying to convince anyone that writing an entire first draft of a novel by hand is the way to go (even if that's my preferred method)but it does offer some interesting thoughts and research that seems to reinforce the benefits that handwriting gives to your brain function. Don't believe me? Here's some quotes from the article.

"handwriting helps with learning letters and shapes, can improve idea composition and expression, and may aid fine motor-skill development."


"Other research highlights the hand's unique relationship with the brain when it comes to composing thoughts and ideas. Virginia Berninger, a professor of educational psychology at the University of Washington, says handwriting differs from typing because it requires executing sequential strokes to form a letter, whereas keyboarding involves selecting a whole letter by touching a key."

"Pictures of the brain have illustrated that sequential finger movements activated massive regions involved in thinking, language and working memory—the system for temporarily storing and managing information."

Pretty cool, huh? Who knew my hanging on to an ancient practice was actually good for my brain and might even help me in 'composing thoughts and ideas"? Kind of important when one is writing a novel, dontcha think?

What do you think? Is this another flakey bit of research or do you think there's still a place in this techno age for scratching out words?