The Palmer Method of Business Writing: Lesson 16

The Palmer Method of Business Writing, by A. N. Palmer is part of the HackerNoon Books series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here. Lesson 16

Test the movement by tracing the first stroke in the air. Start the motion below the base line, and as the pen moves rapidly upward let it strike the paper at the beginning point. Drive the pen through the exercise rapidly and lightly. Make four connected m’s before lifting the pen, and three such groups across a line. You will make the letters too large, irregular, and awkward at first, and will have trouble with the union (connecting lines), but keep right on. Make the four lines in a minute and move the paper after each group.

As taught in drill thirteen, lesson fifteen, the parts of small m are made with over-motion, but to use an over-motion between letters would give no connective line and hence no dividing line between the letters. Keep in mind as you practice, that the over-motion makes the parts of m, and that the opposite or under-motion forms the connecting lines. You may count 1, 2, 3; or slide, 2, 3; or over, over, under.

Drill fourteen should be practiced a minute or more at the beginning of each practice period. Four drills have now been suggested for use at the beginning of every practice period. They should be practiced, not only in the beginning stages, but until the entire course has been mastered. These drills furnish the very best movement exercises, and at the same time give the right kind of practice in form building. Students who thoroughly master them in size, form, and speed application will find the remaining drills easy. As it teaches the correct use of the under-motion in connecting letters, small m is perhaps the most important of the four.