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 The following is a response to those who have already read Handwriting & Personality and have additional questions. If you haven't read the book, but have a question, you may wish to post it on the bulletin board found in Contact Us. Dear Readers, Thank you for all your wonderful, warm, funny, inquisitive, insightful and charming letters. I tried to answer my Handwriting & Personality mail, but couldn't keep up with the volume. I apologize to anyone who has written me personally and hasn't received a response. Thank heaven for The Web! Now I can use cyberspace to address your most frequently asked questions: Dear Ann, Please Send More Information Hopefully, this web site will continue to provide you with new and interesting insights into the world of handwriting analysis. Many wrote "Send me everything you have on graphology. I want to know more!" I hope to have more books out in the future, and will post their arrival on this site. For many, it may be helpful to skim the book again at your leisure before pursuing further studies. Why? Some readers asked how I began my study of graphology, which is fully explained in the book's introduction. One reader asked about left handers, stating that "your book what written for right handed people". Wow! He missed the whole premise of "brainwriting" explained in the first chapter (and throughout the book). I myself am left handed. Everything in the book is applicable to both right and left handed people. Take Your Time I also discovered from your letters that many people flip through the book to "get to the good stuff", avoiding chapters they think won't pertain to them, then wind up asking me questions about material fully covered elsewhere in the book. This is not uncommon, but just like everything else in life, you can't zip though learning how to cook, how to play music, how to anything, and expect to become proficient. Handwriting & Personality was deliberately arranged so that each new trait explained would build upon the previous chapter. I gave a great deal of thought as to the sequence of material presented to make it as easy for you as possible. Trust me. I taught graphology for 11 years before I even attempted to write a book. Take your time, enjoy each new trait presented along the way. When you finish, you should have such a clear, thorough grasp of subject, you'll be analyzing like a pro. Many new to graphology tend to find one trait and pounce on it with relish, resulting in an oversimplified analysis. We tend to think that because many of us write effortlessly, it's a fairly simple task, thus should be easy to analyze. Try reading and writing in a language that doesn't use your alphabet/letterforms and you'll quickly discover how complex writing really is. We forget the childhood hours we spent mastering the alphabet. (It was even put to song as a way to help us remember it), but learning to read and write is one of the most challenging things you'll ever do. It involves the parietal lobe of the brain, the occipital lobe, eye/hand co-ordination, comprehension, understanding of abstract concepts, etc. First you learn letters (symbols, really), then combine these letters to form words (like c-a-t). But what is c-a-t? Merely a random word which represents the idea of cat. Letters are merely abstract symbols which, when combined differently, can represent millions of ideas. Pretty amazing talent you've mastered, this reading and writing! It's A Combination of Traits Just as you can't make a cake with only flour and salt, you can't understand a personality from only one trait. A far forward slant, which indicates impulsiveness in one handwriting may carry a slightly different interpretation in another writing, depending on other traits it's combined with. One reader wrote "I'm a D-Slant, but I know I'm an introvert. How can this be? Her writing was so tightly compressed I had difficulty reading it. In many ways, her writing resembled Monica's. It was both tightly squeezed and thrusting far forward. All traits add to the total personality picture. No one is merely an "Introvert" or Extrovert". We have other traits which will support or conflict with these needs. Your First Analysis One reader asked "What approach can I take to keep things positive, but at the same time be direct and helpful?" Part III in the book - Putting It All Together will help you with this. Follow the simple questions provided and you're on your way! Please Analyze Me Many asked What is my baseline? How about my zones? Will you give this writing a quick look and tell me what you see? It's impossible to accommodate all the requests for a quick analysis. I hope to select a few letters to analyze on the web whenever possible, and hopefully help many in the process. Information on obtaining a personal analysis is elsewhere on this website. Negative Traits Surprised that I omitted something as important as honesty/dishonesty from my book? What about greed, jealousy, etc.? YES, it was intentional. For years I've watch folks misuse graphology, scanning the index for negative personality traits to "get the goods" on someone they dislike. That drives me crazy. I deliberately designed Handwriting & Personality so you couldn't just use it as a reference guide for negative traits. A person may be dishonest - but there is always a reason why. Hopefully, you'll want to understand the jealousy or dishonesty in relation to the whole personality, and not simply judge a person as dishonest. Learning Disabilities / Graphotherapy "Can an improvement in writing improve personality?" Yes! In some instances, the changes are truly dramatic. I hope to be able to cover this information soon in a series of tapes with a workbook. School Projects Students often request information for school papers on graphology. They rarely request with enough lead time for me to meet their project deadline. Also, it's difficult for me to help unless I know exactly what kind of information is needed. Now with the magic of the web, I hope I can post some information students can download. In your request, be specific with regard to the type of information you are seeking. Corporate Hiring/Jury Selection/Consulting for Police Depts. These disciplines don't actually fall under one heading, but I'm trying to group subjects that are related in the sense of responsibility they entail. Many schools will lead you to believe that after you have studied handwriting, you're ready to embark on a lucrative career in personnel selection, police work, etc. Please be careful. If you are going to take the responsibility of passing judgment on another, which may affect his chances of getting hired, selected for a jury, etc. you'd better know the law, and its ramifications when you put something in writing. You should be familiar with fair information practice policies for employment records including Third Party Information, Right of Refusal, Right to Amend and Correct, Reliability of Data, Malpractice Suits, the Problem of Implications, etc. In other words, if you're going to jump into the deep end, not only had you better be a good swimmer, but you'd better know the rules of the pool. I'm not saying this to discourage you. I'm only saying that graphology, like any other profession, has a standard of professionalism and skill that cannot be obtained overnight. With regard to forgery and fraud - that is an entirely different discipline, and one that is covered through apprenticeship with a Court Qualified Document Examiner. It does not involve the psychological interpretation of handwriting. Career Opportunities Graphologists are used by personnel managers, marriage and family therapists, corporate headhunters, school guidance counselors, dating and matchmaking services, outplacement programs, probation and parole officers, special education and learning disability professionals, and others. Opportunities abound, if you're ready, willing and able. Today, more than ever, graphologists are being called on (in the dot.com world) to assist with team building for virtual sales forces, as well as reading both clients and competitors an employer may never meet face to face. Because the results are immediate and easy to achieve - you may hide behind a web site, but your handwriting doesn't lie, graphologists are in great demand. That being said, let me address the following question: "Can I make a good living in this field?" I can only answer, you can make a good living in almost any field if you diligently apply yourself. I'm always amazed when people demand to know "How much can I expect to make annually?" As with anything in life, it's up to you. Suppose you're applying to Harvard and I'm Dean of Admissions. If you ask "What can I expect in the realm of job opportunities when I complete my education?" I would answer honestly it depends on you. I know one Harvard graduate who has every connection in the world, yet for years has drifted from one lost opportunity to another. Others without his connections have climbed the corporate ladder to the position of CEO. My hunch is they would have made it to the top whether they graduated from Harvard or the school of hard knocks. Yes, the opportunities are there, as they are in real estate, and other fields. How ready and willing are you to apply yourself? Computerized Analyses "Well, how about those computerized analyses?" Again, it depends. One well known magazine article that advertises it's services, consists of a few hundred paragraphs fed into a computer. They approached me to participate in their program. I declined. This is not to say that a comprehensive computer program couldn't be developed, but a tremendous number of variables need to be included to make an analysis truly individualized. If I find a program I think is comprehensive, or if I undertake the creation of one, I'll certainly alert you. Classes If you are interested in having me teach a series of classes in your area, contact the office for further information. arrangements. A minimum of 20 students is required. Workshops are listed. Conflicting Information A reader asks "In describing the personal pronoun "I" in your book, you have the upper loop representing mother and the lower loop representing father, yet I read in another book an interpretation that was exactly the opposite. Which one is right? Even if interpretations differ slightly on some small details, shouldn't all graphologists agree on the basics?" Good question! Perhaps this illustration will help. A friend of mine once broke her back in a boating accident. In terrible pain, she sought the best specialist in the field. He told her she must have back surgery or be crippled for life. He was the best, so why did she go for a second opinion? And a third? On the advice of another doctor, she did not have the surgery (she was 68 when the accident occurred), instead wore a brace for a year, worked with an acupuncturist, and today is healthy and pain free. Which doctor was right? All were highly trained specialists. With medicine, psychology, graphology, or any empirical science, you may sometimes find differing viewpoints. People who demand that four graphologists provide identical opinions or dismiss the validity of the science would be hard pressed to demand the same from doctors. I can only answer that from personal research and feedback I've received, I believe the interpretations I've provided to be the most accurate. I'm not saying I'm right. I'm saying from my years of study and research, I've found the answers I've provided to be the most accurate for me. Don't let anyone, including me, spoon-feed you. You use your own good judgment when evaluating doctor's opinions, choosing an attorney, a private school, or a job opportunity. Do the same with graphology. Evaluate the source of the information - what is this person's background? Training? Experience? Other books? If you could see me now, I'm smiling from ear to ear. Whenever I begin a class, I tell the students "please do not run out and buy an armload of books! You'll only get confused." I can tell immediately from the furrowed brows those who ignore my advice, buy the books, and are drowning in information. Learn one method thoroughly first, then when you add other information, you can expand, delete, or change, as you see fit from your personal experience. A basic library would include Klara Roman's Handwriting, A Key to Personality, Pantheon Books, and I'll stop there. DO keep writing, I enjoy and appreciate your letters so much. I must share this one, which was an absolute classic! I hope the person who wrote it can now see the humor in it. "Dear Ann Mahony," he writes, "Trying to analyze my own handwriting was next to impossible because I disagreed with a lot of what was said" and in the very next paragraph he asks "Where can I find more books by you?" Gee, are you sure you want to? Try this science on someone other than yourself first if you want to judge for accuracy! Remember, it's next to impossible to be objective about ourselves. Read the personality description which most closely matches your handwriting to your spouse or best friend. Ask "Does that sound like me?" (Only do this if you're prepared to hear the truth.) Have loads of fun with your newfound science. I wish you lots of new insights, new friendships, surprises and many handwritten letters coming your way. Order
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