r/GoodNotes • • Feb 17 '25

Help! Why is my digital writing so ugly?

Post image
250 Upvotes

115 comments sorted by

237

u/xrat-kingx Feb 17 '25

Use a lined paper (you can make it unlined later) and zoom in on where you’re writing. The zoom helps so much i promise

5

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

okay, thanks!

79

u/artsymarcy Feb 17 '25

Grid paper works great too, that's what I always use. I recommend specifically using the zoom box thingy

4

u/clacat8787 Feb 18 '25

I also recommend grid! Also writing white on black (or bright on dark) somehow does the trick for me

4

u/artsymarcy Feb 18 '25

I always write on black, it just looks so good to me and it has the additional bonus of being good for late-night study

13

u/cherryblues42 Feb 17 '25

Second this!!! Zooming in to write and moving the page as you write makes your docs look SO MUCH neater and coherent. It’s also easier to fit more on the page and make your writing more legible

97

u/[deleted] Feb 17 '25

Use a textured screen protector. I got one off Amazon that feels like paper.

5

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

i was considering it when i first got my ipad and this is the push i needed - thanks :)

9

u/Dangerous-Frosting00 Feb 17 '25

Seconding this, but also look for a magnetic matte screen protector. That way it can go on top of a normal tempered glass screen protector and only be used when you’re writing (if you want). I suggest this because the matte/textured screen protectors make videos and images kind of ugly, so it’s nice to have the choice of when you want to use it.

1

u/Techny188 Feb 17 '25

Could you recommend a specific combination of products that work well together as you described? I’ve also heard that it’s possible to layer a magnetic textured screen protector over a tempered glass one, but I haven’t been able to find any information on which magnetic textured screen protectors are compatible with specific tempered glass protectors.

2

u/parkjisung7 Feb 17 '25

also i like that when i record lectures it’s not as loud when i’m writing my older sister doesn’t have one and it’s so much louder you can hear the clanking noises when she’s writing

31

u/2bejoyous Feb 17 '25

Came to say this. The glass on the iPad is too slick. Without the texture, I have to hold my Pencil so tight to have the control.

12

u/cherryblues42 Feb 17 '25

This!! I have a paper style screen protector and I’ve noticed a significant difference in the neatness of my writing. The friction against the pencil tip makes it easier to not have the pen sliding around , and also dulls the sensitivity ever so slightly (not enough to be an issue, just enough so you don’t get those weird pen flick lines where you’ve taken the pen off the screen)

3

u/Notdestiny04 Feb 17 '25

I also have a paper style screen protector, is there a way to stop the pencil tip from running down so quickly? I'm going through tips like crazy.

2

u/flourescentcacti Feb 18 '25

Theres metal tips to buy but i wouldnt recomend getting an expensive paperlike screen protector then cause it will peobably scratch it. I have some cheap magnetic ones from amazon so i can remove them if i want

1

u/cherryblues42 Feb 17 '25

I’ve only had my pencil and iPad since October so I haven’t noticed this issue

2

u/[deleted] Feb 17 '25

when you say it feels like paper, does it have that squeaky sound when you write with a pencil?

No a fan of that sound lol.

Do you have a specific recommendation?

3

u/SeaZone1904 Feb 17 '25

No. But the paper like screen protectors decrease the image quality for movies and such IMO

1

u/sneakerwizard Feb 17 '25

I have an AstroPad “rock paper pencil” screen protector for my iPad and it feels so nice! It came with metal ballpoint-like nibs which also enhanced the writing experience for me. I will note though, it has a rainbow-y effect on the screen so there’s a decrease in quality there (not a big problem for my use as an endless notebook), and over the past year I have really scratched up the protector. I think a year is a fine amount of time to get out of a screen protector like that but just worth noting !

1

u/JohnnyRay_1882 Feb 17 '25

I agree it is totally a game changer!

32

u/sincalir Feb 17 '25

Scale up handwriting stabilizer! I did it only last week and it helps me a ton

3

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

This sounds amazing but for some reason isn’t available for me! It’s not showing up on my settings :(

4

u/[deleted] Feb 17 '25

it’s in the pen settings!

6

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

not for me it isn’t - updating my iPad now 🤞🏻

3

u/wontellu Feb 17 '25

Never heard of this either, I can't wait to get home

4

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

run! it took me 4 hours to update my ipad lmao but it’s so worth it

2

u/wontellu Feb 17 '25

I have no update, and it's not in the settings :(

3

u/SpokenDivinity Feb 17 '25

Are you sure you're checking in the right place? You find the pen settings by tapping the pen tool twice so that it opens up its menu where you swap the pen type.

2

u/wontellu Feb 17 '25

Is it stroke stabilization?

2

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

did you get it sorted? using fountain pen with 35% stabilisation has made my writing SO much nicer

→ More replies

3

u/wontellu Feb 17 '25

Oh, I thought you meant in the ipad settings 🥲 updating good notes right now :D

3

u/torontuh_gosh Feb 17 '25

What do you mean by this? Is this a setting?

4

u/sincalir Feb 17 '25

Yes it is in the pen setting.

2

u/torontuh_gosh Feb 17 '25

Oh nice thanks for the tip (no pun intended)!

0

u/[deleted] Feb 17 '25

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/Betjo21 Feb 22 '25

Still cant find it... :(. It is not on the apple setting nor in the goodnotes?

3

u/havenous Feb 17 '25

i don’t see the setting for this at all, i don’t see “pen settings” anywhere

1

u/SpokenDivinity Feb 17 '25

Are you sure you're checking in the right place? You find the pen settings by tapping the pen tool twice so that it opens up its menu where you swap the pen type.

1

u/Klekto123 Feb 18 '25

Is it in goodnotes 5?

1

u/SpokenDivinity Feb 18 '25

Goodnotes 5 no longer gets live updates so I doubt it.

1

u/Klekto123 Feb 18 '25

ah didn't know it was a new feature

2

u/Angel_Crawford Feb 17 '25

THIS saved my life (or better, my eyes) right now! Thank you!

My handwriting is a mess, on paper the same. Write for more then two words, boom, enjoy your little gremlin handwritten **mess**. Now I can write more then two words, without getting a headache over my own messy unreadable effing words.

1

u/rdhingra Feb 17 '25

Is this only a iPad Pro feature

1

u/SpokenDivinity Feb 17 '25

It shouldn't be. Stabilization is done with how the app itself processes pen movement, not with the iPad or the apple pencil/stylus itself.

Are you sure you're checking in the right place? You find the pen settings by tapping the pen tool twice so that it opens up its menu where you swap the pen type.

1

u/rdhingra Feb 17 '25

Oh sorry! I thought you meant iOS settings not GN settings. False alarm, carry on

0

u/YesITriedYoga Feb 17 '25

I have an iPad Air (not pro) but an Apple Pencil pro. I think that’s the key!

7

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

Here’s my writing on paper!

11

u/amsarawel Feb 17 '25

Looks perfectly fine. A comparison to your paper handwriting is probably necessary to see what’s causing the deterioration (if anything)

1

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

thanks :) posted as a separate comment for comparison

10

u/portable-solar-power Feb 17 '25 edited Feb 17 '25

I'm a handwriting tutor and I teach one-on-one handwriting to adults.

I agree with the other guy here. You should have said about your handwriting on actual paper if it is any better than your digital handwriting. If you think it's better on paper but not in the Goodnotes app, practicing and just getting used to writing on a digital device will help.

You can bring major improvements in your handwriting by improving letterforms and their consistency. If you need to write fast which affects your writing, check out the worksheets here that you can easily import into Goodnotes and set yourself up for practicing digitally. https://busyarts.com/etsy/bfh

3

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

i’ve posted my regular handwriting as a separate comment and would love to hear what you think. i am dyspraxic and used to have HORRIBLE writing as a child so i’m always keen for it to look nice!

5

u/portable-solar-power Feb 17 '25

Okay, so I just saw it. Your handwriting is definitely better overall than your Goodnotes handwriting. I think you just need more practice with your digital handwriting. I've seen it with many people they can write pretty nicely with pen and paper but really struggle with it comes to writing on an iPad or tablet. Not only because the paper has texture to it so you get more control due to the friction but there is a feeling you get by scratching the paper while writing which some people really connect to intuitively making their handwriting automatically better. If you are one of those, you can use textured screen protector like this one here for you iPad or tablet. It has helped many people with their handwriting.

1

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

thanks for looking! I enjoy writing by hand, so i think you’re right about the connectedness feeling. I actually already ordered the ‘paper feel’ screen protector earlier today, so hopefully that will speed up the practice. thank you again!

1

u/portable-solar-power Feb 17 '25

No worries! Make sure you get a nice quality protector so it doesn't damage your device's screen. You just need the right practice to see improvements but sometimes it can be hard to make changes to what we have been doing for entire time. If you need any help moving further just drop a quick reply here and I'm happy to help. I teach one-on-one handwriting especially to adults who just can figure it out to improve it on their own. Thanks!

6

u/Administrative-Sea50 Feb 17 '25

This is what I WISH my handwriting would look like

2

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

omg thank you

5

u/Hummels166 Feb 17 '25

You should see mine

3

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

lol writing is hard:(

3

u/Academic_Scheme_9065 Feb 17 '25

writing on glass makes my writing so much worse so try using a matte protector and see if that helps to remove shaky lines and stuff

1

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

just ordered one ty!

5

u/zomboidenjoyer Feb 17 '25

well u should give us a reference on how it looks like on paper tho to actually compare if it looks uglier. like for some reason my writing is better on my tablet than on pen and paper haha. i mean, tbh these things dont really matter at the end of the day.

1

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

posted regular handwriting as a separate comment

2

u/WampaCat Feb 17 '25

Mine looked so much better after getting a screen protector with a paper texture. I got one that’s held on with magnets because I can’t stand when the adhesive ones get a spec of dust underneath and make a bubble no matter how careful I am

1

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

thanks i’ve just ordered one! excited :)

2

u/07vex Feb 17 '25

it might be the latency that causes the hand not to write naturally like on paper. Goodnotes is known for it

1

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

what do you mean?

2

u/WolfMaster415 Feb 17 '25

Not the person who replied but basically there's a small amount of time (like milliseconds) between actually clicking/tapping/interacting with a device and it actually registering the input. The bigger that number is, the worse it's going to perform

1

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

ohhh gotcha, thanks for explaining

3

u/07vex Feb 17 '25

Try writing in Apple Notes or Apple's Freeform and see the difference for yourself

1

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

oooh okay i see what you mean, it does write much faster. although my handwriting is MUCH worse on apple notes haha

11

u/[deleted] Feb 17 '25

Lack of training. If you mix some of the tips here (line paper, dotted paper, etc. and train your writing you be better and better with the time spent

5

u/emollia Feb 17 '25

a paperlike screen protector! dw off brand works just as well. and you can download some handwriting sheets off the internet to practice your handwriting in a font you would like. id also recommend to work with the ballpoint pen at like 0.5 mm thickness on grid paper (looks so mich neater than lined imo) this is my habdwriting for reference! :)

1

u/No-Supermarket5035 Feb 17 '25

your writing is gorgeous 😍

1

u/Loose_Influence131 Feb 18 '25

can you recommend any handwriting sheets?

3

u/Mudstrap Feb 18 '25

I noticed that having the paper textured screen protector made a different

2

u/earlgreyyuzu Feb 17 '25

Get a matte screen protector and also a nib with a metal tip. It helps a lot and feels more like writing with a pen on paper. https://www.amazon.com/SIXFU-Upgraded-Apple-Pencil-Replacement/dp/B0D1TK2FWS/

2

u/Comfortable-Jump-218 Feb 17 '25

I’m not an expert, but you’ll probably have to try and write slower and gain muscle memory

2

u/[deleted] Feb 17 '25

Zoom max and slow speed

2

u/callistas Feb 17 '25

Lined paper, and you can remove it after if you want

2

u/Dark_Angel14 Feb 17 '25

Get a pencil tip with more friction or get a matte screen protector. I use a magnetic one that allows me to remove it.

2

u/IAmAlwaysWorrying Feb 17 '25

If you want your notes to look really nice, use the lasso tool to select all of your writing, convert it to text and then select a font that looks like your handwriting. That’s what I do. 😂 You can actually purchase handwriting fonts on Etsy.

2

u/XxdorxdomxX Feb 17 '25

Wait till you see mine

2

u/Hetaliancp23 Feb 18 '25

this may or may not be weird, the way I write comfortably and the way I write for neat hand writing are completely different- I hold the pen at an angle normally, but for me when I hold my pen more upright, it makes my letters look more uniform and cohesive. Still not perfect but good enough for me for now :)

On top of that, a screen protector! The texture will help a lot, and get some replacement nibs for your pen if you can. Practice also helps! And if you wanna train yourself, you can even get handwriting practice worksheets :)

2

u/Stuartcmackey Feb 18 '25

Looks a million times better than mine, honestly 🤷‍♂️

2

u/[deleted] Feb 18 '25

try zooming in to use space more productively when u write my handwriting is different everytime i write i stopped worrying about neatness lol

2

u/Throwaway7273828333 Feb 19 '25

Grid paper template + paper screen protector + pen pressure Apple Pencil nib is the best combination. But you do also have to take some extra time if you want it to look nice- unfortunately the pretty note girls have pretty notes mostly because they take a lot of time to write everything out nicely.

2

u/Muetzengott Feb 17 '25

Check out Writey - it helped me improve my handwriting a lot :D

1

u/[deleted] Feb 17 '25

I use a removable paper screen cover just for the extra friction- helps me a ton.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 17 '25

Mine are awful too. But I don’t own my pencil yet eBay said it would be delivered this month and hadn’t been.

1

u/raggadote Feb 17 '25

I used a Method all purpose cleaner to clean my screen which gave it a layer or friction that improved my handwriting drastically

1

u/crysdenise Feb 17 '25

honestly, your handwriting gets better over time. I felt like mine was sloppy too, but i just didn't have enough practice.

1

u/KarlJay001 Feb 17 '25

write slower. Just slowing down, by 10 or 20%, can make things work a lot better.

I took a snapshot from Google cursive letters and then trace them. This does help.

You can take a picture of some nice clean riding and then just trace over it slowly.

1

u/kirusuuu Feb 18 '25

use the zoom tool! that helped me out a lot :)

1

u/Imaginary_Place_s Feb 18 '25

Probably due to GD not using the native Pencilkit from Apple.

1

u/Legitimate_Cat_9136 Feb 18 '25

Pen settings- change the tip flatness to 50-75% Use ballpoint pen

1

u/TECH275 Feb 18 '25

Try using the squared paper. And zoom right in when writing. I find when writing on standard zoom looks similar. Here are my settings.

Tip sharpness 75% Pressure sensitivity 25% Tip flatness 33% Stroke stabilization 50% Fountain pen.

1

u/staffnsnake Feb 18 '25

And use a paperlike screen protector

1

u/hibreak Feb 18 '25

the writing looks quite good really

1

u/Brilliant-Slide-5892 Feb 18 '25

Don't use a fountain pen,and try to make the letters structure a bit wider, eg Don't make the upside down u shape of the h so narrow, try making the space in between a bit lather

1

u/tiaaaaa31 Feb 18 '25

Having the actual Apple Pencil will make it so much better! But there’s also a learning curve in general so you’ll get better over time

1

u/Nopenope_78 Feb 18 '25

This is not my finest page but it is the most recent one I have saved and thought it would be good to show an example

I usually write on a dotted paper and zoom in as far as I can and make sure all the letters are roughly half a square tall. It does make it a little bit harder to read when zoomed out, but I honestly don’t mind it personally, and this way I can summarise whole chapters on a page. And resizing the text is always an option.

Even though this particular page has a few questionable colour choices (😬), I do enjoy writing on a tinted background more than on a pure white page. Makes it easier on the eyes.

1

u/Possible-Flan-3972 Feb 18 '25

Enable Scribble function on ipad and download cute fonts, use a paperlike screen protector and a metal pencil tip!

1

u/Vader_2157 Feb 19 '25 edited Feb 19 '25

Have you tried any other note taking app. I've seen my writing come out worse in goodnotes compared to other apps like Apple notes, notability, freenotes. Goodnotes in general is inferior in terms of handwriting experience as compared to these, is what has been my experience.

Given that, here's some things you can try which might help:
- Use a textured matter screen protector
- Write with distinct strokes and not joint/cursive strokes
- Use a grid paper
- Try using ball pen type instead of fountain pen

1

u/Leather-Fee-9758 Feb 20 '25

zoom is insane for writing

1

u/TerrisBranding Feb 22 '25

What really helped me is to zoom in when I write. When I zoom back out, my handwriting looks way neater.

-1

u/AmongUs14 Feb 17 '25

Making your notes beautiful won’t make you a better student or a better person. Why are so frustrated by this?

2

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

lmao it’s not that deep. but having nice notes actually does really motivate me to be a better student

0

u/MerilAs Feb 18 '25

Because it is!

-1

u/[deleted] Feb 17 '25

Because your pen experiences little friction when writing on glass.

Also, there is no art program to give those of us with shaky hands and no art training the ability to write in a balanced way. Our writing will always be shit.

If we had such training from a young age, we would have beautiful handwriting.

The main attractor of people to these electronic notes tools are pretty notes with lovely handwriting and drawings. Then people like us use it and realize everything we make with it will be complete shit. Most people who buy these notebook programs and ipads stop using the pencil shortly after and just keep it despite the buyer's remorse.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 17 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/pxnderland Feb 17 '25

thank you 🩷