In the Regency Period of England, when Jane Austen was writing, people wrote with quill pens and ink. Good penmanship was important. The quill pens were made from bird feathers, usually goose or swan, with sharpened tips to be dipped in an inkwell. The ink was applied to the paper with light pressure. It must have taken a lot of practice to get it right. Jane Austen published her books anonymously because it was not acceptable for women to be writers in her time.
Glad that women can write in their own names nowadays.
Jane Austen writing sample via Wikimedia.org
It would’ve been wonderful to receive a letter from Jane. 🙂
Stream of Consciousness Saturday is hosted by Linda G Hill. Today’s prompt ‘letter’. Use it in your post or theme your post on any meaning of the word “letter.”
Notes Tied On The Sagebrush 
imagine the challenge of the quill and ink writing – we have it so easy
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I read a bit about it and it would take several quill pens to get through a letter because the tips become too soggy with ink and need to dry. I might give up writing stories if I had to go through all that. 😉
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I’m always amazed when I read about things women weren’t allowed to do. It’s like we’ve been dumb forever…
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It is pretty sad and a great injustice when people are denied doing or achieving because of gender, race, religion or anything that is used to discriminate. And yes it is really dumb.
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This makes me want to write a letter with fancy penwomanship. 🙂
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I was looking at some videos on calligraphy and the style of writing used in the 1800s. Jane Austen used English roundhand which does look similar to what we use today although she made some interesting ‘d’ s.
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Love this post… Sharing!
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Oh, thank you Bette. I am glad you liked it. ❤
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I visited Jane Austin’s home in England, and I bought a plumed pen, which they sell in the gift shop. I couldn’t resist. I also couldn’t write more than my name with it, and that didn’t even look right. How did they do it?
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That sounds like a great trip. They must have had to practice a lot and I can imagine the hand cramps. 🙂
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I miss that! I am so used to cranking away at my laptop that I miss the feel of those classy ink pens that somehow coloured my fingers 🙂 Quills seem even more challenging!
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I do like pens too. I haven’t ever tried writing with a quill pen. It definitely sounds challenging. 🙂
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