Submissions to literary agents and editors are typewritten in order to be legible and tidy. But what if we want to delve deeper into the inner psyche of an author? The amateur sleuths here at Writer’s Relief have called upon their (not so) extensive graphology skills to analyze the signatures of well-known authors and shed some light on their hidden personality quirks. What does an errant “e” reveal about one writer, or a fantastic flourish divulge about another? There are no secrets hidden from our intrepid analysts! Here are our tongue-in-cheek assessments of famous authors’ signatures.
Signatures Of Famous Authors Analyzed By Our “Experts”
Virginia Woolf
Who’s afraid? Not Virginia! Her sharp, angled letters point to a writer who is intelligent but might be holding back aggression. Not surprising, since she was an innovative pioneer during an era when men probably told her not to trouble her pretty little head about being an author. Virginia Woolf’s trademark stream-of-consciousness writing style is echoed in her streaming penmanship.
J.R.R. Tolkien
Not all who wander are lost, but this signature certainly meanders. This autograph is clearly the work of someone with hobbit ancestors! The unique underscore reinforces his fondness for fantasy writing, while the stylish capital T in Tolkien indicates a writer who is determined, enthusiastic, and able to speak Elvish.
William Shakespeare
To be or not to be able to read this signature—that is the question. It’s not so easy to write with a quill…apparently during an earthquake…as the Bard’s handwriting suggests. And while most readers might think Shakespeare would love being center stage, an illegible signature is the mark of a private or hard-to-read (literally!) person.
Edgar Allan Poe
As the father of the modern detective story, Edgar Allan Poe left our sleuths some clever clues to investigate. The loops and swirls within this signature are telltale signs of a creative mind, and the underscore brings a sense of poetry by resembling the wing of a bird…perhaps a raven?
Confucius
Confucius said a lot of memorable things, including “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” But we can easily see the beauty in this simple, striking monogram. As an influential Chinese philosopher, teacher, and political figure, Confucius’s big personality is evident in this large, bold signature.
Okay, we admit it—we don’t know much about handwriting analysis. But our research experts DO know all there is to know (and probably more!) about tracking down the best literary journals and agents for our clients’ writing submissions. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help boost your odds of getting an acceptance, submit your writing sample to our Review Board today!
Question: What do you think your signature says about you?
Nice article! My handwriting is similar to the Bard’s, so perhaps the conclusion is similar…