Everyone's handwriting is different. Some of us write using flowing cursive while others print in large, block letters. Where one person's handwriting may be completely legible, another's may resemble a Rorschach® ink blot. But what do these differences really tell us? According to Bart Baggett, a professional handwriting analyst and a teacher on the subject, handwriting can reveal a lot about the personality of the author.

Bart's career as a handwriting analyst began during a car trip to summer camp when he was 14 years old. At the time, Bart's father (also a handwriting analyst) was taking his first course in the subject of graphology. During the car ride, he asked Bart to provide him with a writing sample. Bart obliged, and what happened next would change his life forever.

Bart says, "It really scared me," referring to the accuracy of his father's analysis. Bart recalls that his father was able to tell him about aspects of his inner thinking that they had never discussed before. In Bart's words, "He really nailed it!"

Bart was so impressed that he asked to borrow one of his father's textbooks during his time away at summer camp. Bart not only read the book, he used the information to analyze the handwriting of his fellow campers. He says the results were nothing short of amazing.

"I found myself connecting and empathizing with fellow campers." He went on to say, "Everyone from bullies to the popular girls became my friends." He recalls how his relationships with these people changed because of the things (both positive and negative) he was able to tell them about themselves. "I won the trophy for best camper that year," Bart says proudly.

Fast-forward several decades to the present and both Bart and his father are renowned experts on the subject of graphology or handwriting analysis. Both of them speak publicly on the subject and are recognized as expert legal witnesses for authenticating signatures and handwriting. The father/son team has also gone on to start an online school for aspiring analysts as well as author several textbooks that are used in classrooms around the world.

A Little History
According to Baggett, the first teachings on the subject of handwriting analysis date back to a Spanish manuscript from 1662. He says that a lot has transpired since then, with much of the research being done by the French. To this day, France is still the biggest proponent of graphology. Baggett says, "You can't even get a job in France without submitting a handwriting sample."

The origin of the French's enthusiasm can be traced to a book written in 1912 by countryman, Paul de Sainte Colombe, titled Grapho-Therapeutics. Colombe not only believed that specific pen strokes correlated to personality traits, but also that you could change your behavior by simply changing your handwriting.

Although Baggett is commonly hired to help victims of fraud obtain justice, he is sincerely devoted to teaching others how to understand personality through handwriting analysis. He says it allows you to better relate to your spouse, your children and your business associates. When you hear Baggett speak about the science of handwriting analysis, you can hear the joy in his voice as he truly sees this as a way to connect to people. That's not to say, however, that he doesn't enjoy the attention he receives socially for having mastered this skill.

Personality Profiling
Baggett believes that handwriting analysis is the most succinct personality test available, claiming, "Handwriting sheds light on anything you would describe as a personality trait." This includes everything from whether an individual is an introvert or extrovert to whether they are generally truthful or dishonest. While he says there are 140 different pen strokes that correlate to individual personality traits, he reminds us that interpreting the data successfully depends on the skill of the analyst.

When asked if someone's handwriting has ever turned up anything truly disturbing, he relayed the following story:

Baggett was working with a star pupil in Dallas when he decided to put the student's acumen to an unbiased test. Mr. Baggett, along with his personal assistant, accompanied the student to a bar where the trio struck up a conversation with some fellow patrons on the subject of graphology.

A young couple who had just begun dating volunteered to have their handwriting analyzed. The couple gave writing samples, and what Baggett and his pupil observed was shocking. Baggett says that when he looked at the handwriting of the male, there were several indications of severe personality issues. Baggett says, "In one writing sample, he displayed tendencies of dishonesty, paranoia, ill-temper, anger towards women, and pure aggression."

Baggett says he and his pupil were somewhat at a loss as to what to do or say. The young female then excused herself to the restroom. She hadn't been gone 10 seconds when the male looked at Baggett and threatened that if he told the girl anything bad, he was going to have a big problem. Baggett says on one hand, his analysis seemed to be quite accurate. On the other hand, he was now stuck in a very awkward situation.

Luckily, Baggett was able to non-verbally communicate with his female assistant who met up with the girl before returning from the restroom, warning her of what had just happened.

Baggett says that this story is a bit of an anomaly and, for the most part, handwriting analysis is less about diagnosing psychosis than it is about helping your relationships. He says when it comes to communicating with people in a way they're receptive to, it is an incredible tool.

Legal Applications
In terms of his courtroom testimony as an expert witness, Baggett states that there are two types of cases he sees all the time. The first involve trusts that have been amended by a relative of the benefactor. Many times he is brought in to analyze the signatures of the deceased to determine whether the amendment is either legitimate or a fraud. Baggett advises anyone who is in the process of amending a trust to videotape the benefactor as they sign the document. Otherwise it could be your word against his testimony.

Another type of case he frequently sees has to do with real estate transactions where there are many documents requiring signatures from the client. He says there are times when the client will instruct the agent to sign their name on a document as opposed to coming in to the office to do it themselves. Baggett says that the problem occurs if the transaction goes bad and the client claims he or she never signed a particular document. He advises all real estate professionals to have their clients sign everything themselves.

Tips to Get You Started
Before concluding our interview, we asked Mr. Baggett if he had any specific handwriting tips he could easily share with us. Here's what he told us:

1. People who write in very large script tend to be very friendly as well as social.
   
   
2. How you cross your Ts is an indicator of self-esteem. People who cross lower on the vertical line tend to have a fear of risk and likewise underachieve. People who cross higher on the vertical line tend to be more ambitious and driven.
   (View Example)
   
   
3. The length on the lower loop of Ps, Ys and Gs relates to one's physicality. People who make longer loops tend to be more physically fit. On the contrary, people with shorter loops oftentimes are physically compromised in one way or another.
   (View Example 1, Example 2)
   
   
4. Os are the easiest way to tell honesty and candor. People who tend to be blunt and straightforward write perfect Os. People who are less straightforward tend to leave a loop at the top of the O. (View Example)
   
   
5. People who write in block print tend to be very masculine. Many times these people are guarded emotionally and can be hard to get to know.
   
   
6. People who write larger loops in lower-case, cursive Ds have a tendency to be defensive. These people also tend to be overly responsive to compliments and approval. (View Example)
   
   
7. People who write pointier Ms and Ns tend to make faster decisions and are less patient with those who are indecisive. People who round these letters are generally more methodical. (View Example)

To learn more about Bart Baggett, log on to www.myhandwriting.com/media. For more information about Bart's online classes log on to www.handwritinguniversity.com or www.handwritinganalysis.org. Bart can also be emailed directly at bartbaggett@sbcglobal.net.