While we would love to be able to hand-write the Fiction Letters we send out, due to their length and the number of orders we receive, that is just not possible (but we DO hand-write the envelopes!). So, how did we come up with the unique hand-written font that we use? That is one of the most frequently asked questions we get around here.
We created the custom font using a site called Calligraphr. We started out by downloading a template from the Calligraphr website. In that template, there is a space to write each letter (both upper and lower case) plus numbers, punctuation, and symbols.
Next, we scanned the template and uploaded it into Calligraphr (you can also use your phone to take a picture of the template). We then had a font using our own handwriting.
But do you always write every letter exactly the same, every single time you write it? We don’t! A great feature of Calligraphr is that you can fill in and upload the template multiple times. We filled it in 7 more times, giving us a total of 8 samples for every letter.
After we uploaded all the templates that we filled in, we downloaded the font package and installed it on our computer. This font can now be used just like any other font in any program.
In some programs, like Microsoft Word, when a font has several versions (like the one we created by using eight separate templates), you can click a setting for randomization (in Word the randomization setting is in the Advanced Font settings, and is called "Use contextual alternates"). When randomization is selected, the software will mix and match letter versions so that, for example, the letter “e” looks slightly different within the document, just like it would if it were hand-written.
If you’re into fonts or design, we suggest you check out Calligrapher. There are both free and paid versions, so you can tinker with it for free!
Happy typing!