How our love of lists prevents handwriting being written off

THE pen used to be mightier than the sword – but now the keyboard is king it risks being written out of history.

So thank heavens for the shopping list – one of the few tasks keeping handwriting alive, according to a survey.

In fact, now that emails have taken over, pens are used to compile shopping and to-do lists almost four times more often than to write letters. But despite the dominance of texts and social media, handwritten notes still have their place in everyday life.

Of 2,000 adults polled, 23 per cent said their main reason to write by hand was to make a list. Second at 21 per cent was writing in a card, while 15 per cent cited filling in forms. Other reasons included signing for parcels and deliveries. This compared with 6 per cent of people who said composing a letter was the main reason to write.

The poll by greetings card firm Clintons found 80 per cent of people were more likely to trust a handwritten message.

According to Professor Ronald Mann, of Columbia Law School in the US, the physical act of signing a name can increase the author’s own level of sincerity.

Clintons spokesman Tim Fairs said: ‘Nobody can deny that thanks to technology, writing and sending message is easier than ever before. The only problem is that the most important messages between friends and family can easily lose their impact ... the physical act of writing – and signing your name – still carries a weight that pixels can’t easily match.’