Sober Signatures
Sober signatures — by which we mean those that don't differ too much from the rest of your writing in slant and style — can
mean that you are a 'what you see is what you get' type of person. You're showing your true personality — with both its
strengths and weaknesses — in all that you write. Sober signatures can seem a little boring, of course, but they're a safe bet
and work for any kind of correspondence.
Readable Signatures
Sober signatures are generally easily readable, while others are swirly scrawls that seem to bear no resemblance to the printed
name. It's up to you how you'd like yours to come out, but experts believe that legibility implies modesty and a consideration
for the reader. You're making an effort to write well so they don't have to make an effort to read what you've written, and
that's as true of your signature as the rest of the text.
Illegible Signatures
If you're writing for business, say, or composing the letter that will accompany a job application, sober and legible is probably
the best way to go. But experts also say that writing that is hard to read — because it's been written quickly — can be
indicative of a sharp mind or the need to get a torrent of thoughts down on paper quickly.
Such spontaneity is not good for a business letter, but it might be fine for a personal one. Your signature may be an illegible
scrawl, but if it seems to confirm the impression of quick thinking that's not always a bad thing. A hurriedly written love
letter may end with an illegible signature, for example, which may be interpreted as the writer struggling to tame his
tumbling, out-of-control emotions.
The Underline
Many signatures are underlined. If the underline is short and straight, it may suggest an unassuming manner and also, say
experts, self-reliance. And of course, the opposite is also true. A more showy, swirly underline suggests attention-seeking. Few
of the traits associated with your signature are universally bad ones — there's nothing wrong with being showy, super
confident, shy, unassuming or flamboyant, if that's what you want to convey. But your signature does say something about
you, and your reader will pick up on it, if only subconsciously. In other words, use your signature wisely as it's one of the
ways you show your public face to the world.
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