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Have You Ever Heard of Mirror Writing?

From the lens Mystify Your Mind With Mirror Writing.

  • Sarah May 26, 2012 @ 9:35 pm | delete
    My aunt is left handed and can do mirror writing with her right hand. I'm right handed, and when she showed me I tried and could do it with my left hand. From that I figured that people could write forward with their dominate hand and backward with their non-dominate. I never knew until now that it was all that unusual.
  • David Loudon May 20, 2012 @ 10:26 pm | delete
    Iam a mirror writer. i have been able to do it since the day i could write. i do no that this is rare. i write forward with my right hand and backwords with my left. and when i pute the backword writing to the mirror its exactlay the same as the writing thats wrote forward. i can even write with both hands at the same time
  • victoriuh May 10, 2012 @ 11:15 pm | delete
    Very interesting lens! I have been mirror writing as long as I remember. I never thought it was rare, I just thought I was the only one weird enough to do it. I find it much easier to write mirror cursive than regular lettering. I am right handed.
  • Eve May 9, 2012 @ 2:55 pm | delete
    Born left handed, nowadays mixed handed, right handed writer. Can write normal or mirror with both hands, With two pencils, R normal/L mirror, L normal/R mirror, Both normal (not really mirror writing, but feels the same), both backwards (this i like). But there is no possibility on earth to write two different words with my two hands. Can anyone do this?
  • Martha May 6, 2012 @ 4:58 pm | delete
    I have been able to write backwards since I was quite young and always wondered if it was common. Today I was happy to find this page. Thank you all for making me feel at home!
  • zizzp May 2, 2012 @ 1:13 pm | delete
    I'm a right-handed mirror-writer. I like learning more about it.
    I also have a talent to writing upside down and backwards, upside down and sideways or whatever way my audience is situated. I just see letters as shapes with characteristics. I suspect I'm ambidextrous, I can write with my left hand, but being over 40 never really took the time to develop my writing with my left hand (I'm also impatient). Just to throw another wrench, I like to try to write with my toes... that's right, a big marker and big piece of paper. I like to tell myself that I'm preparing for any of life's surprises (amputation, having my hands tied behind my back, being stuck somewhere for 147 hours, etc.). What I don't have is a back up plan if I loose all my extremities (perhaps I should try writing with my mouth).
    Nice collection of information to ponder. thanks
  • Larraine May 1, 2012 @ 7:02 pm | delete
    I am a righty and found I could mirror write as a teenager. I would like to know what other traits/talents people with this ability possess. Very interesting about the genetic stuff. I enjoy languages, have a good musical ear but nothing that blossomed into extraordinary talent. Am going to try the left handed mirror writing and see if anything comes of it. Nice to know it is a fairly unique trait! Great lens!
  • Steve May 2, 2012 @ 12:56 pm | delete
    I also have fun with stereograms(Magic Eye images) I don't know if it's a brain thing, but I can see the images fairly quickly.
  • Julia Apr 30, 2012 @ 12:03 pm | delete
    I am a mirror writer and can do the ambidextrous kind in the video above. Honestly, I thought anyone could do it if they just tried it. I know as a child I was left handed, and remember my teacher switching the pencil into my other hand constantly until I was trained to write with my right hand. I am still ambidextrous in many things. I just thought it was my brain's way of protesting being forced to switch from left to right-handed ness.
  • Cindermae Apr 30, 2012 @ 2:36 am | delete
    I am a mirror writter as well however, I am right handed! I found this very interesting... and it is fun! ... really fun to watch people be amazed at something that is so easy to me. Thanks for the info!
  • Margaret Walker Apr 28, 2012 @ 7:35 pm | delete
    I also am a fluent mirror writer. I did not know what it was called until I found this site. I have done it for years and I thought anyone could do it because it felt so natural to me. I found out differently when I started showing people my writings and they could not do it. I also did not know one in 6500 had this talent. By the way I also am a lefty. Thanks for sharing this amazing site. I have learned alot by reading it.
  • Sharavanan Raja May 15, 2012 @ 12:27 pm | delete
    Could u pls teach me. I'm interested in learning mirror writing. After a long time I somehow found this site
  • Mahoney Tomagao Apr 2, 2012 @ 10:55 pm | delete
    Hi, you have a great site here! I do mirror writing as well. I discovered my ability to do this when I was in high school. No practice! I just picked up the pen with my left hand and I started to write and that was it! I am right handed and mirror-write with my left. Apart from doing the ambidextrous thing, I can also do math backwards and do my signature backwards! All my university class notes were done backwards includingy diary entries.
    In my country, I have yet to meet another mirror-writer like myself.
    Thanks for the interesting articles which throw a better light on this rare skill.
  • Stevey4263 Mar 26, 2012 @ 4:56 pm | delete
    I am dyslexic and can read and write backwards(mirror writing) also upside down. I am also ambidexterous, though mostly write with my right hand.
    For me it's just like hitting a switch in the brain and I'm doing it.
  • hhc3333 Mar 26, 2012 @ 11:44 am | delete
    Yes. I think if we start doing this, it will spice up some of our brain power
  • artgirl Mar 20, 2012 @ 12:29 am | delete
    We loved your lens, but just to throw all research out the window, my daughter mirror writes, she got it from me and we are both right handed! We quite often write notes to each other in mirror writing, we just thought it was normal, until I had a little teacher trouble last year, due to her school work! ;-)
  • LeanneChesser Mar 24, 2012 @ 9:47 am | delete
    I'm right handed too. I think it's just that there are more left handed people who can mirror write than right handed people.
  • Dianne Markley Mar 15, 2012 @ 1:06 pm | delete
    I've done this for years bug never realized it might mean something until this Beth second when I thought to Google it. WOW! I'm excited to learn more about it.
  • JimDickens Mar 13, 2012 @ 11:11 am | delete
    Kinda makes me want to be left-handed. I remembered that Leonardo da Vinci had used mirror writing. I wonder if that is another indicator of creativity
  • corinne white Mar 8, 2012 @ 1:34 pm | delete
    i have just discovered my ability to mirror write when i started a printing course. it shocked me almost as much s it did my print tutor. william blake shared the ability too.
  • Ladyeaglefeather Mar 7, 2012 @ 10:54 am | delete
    I have never heard of it before. My son is left handed and has a heard time with writing. This was a very interesting lens. Thank-you.
  • Denebeth Mar 4, 2012 @ 11:36 pm | delete
    my mom told me i used to mirror-write when i was in preschool, but i sort of stopped after being scolded. later on when i reached high school, i tried writing in mirror image and i was surprised i was able to do it without any problems. it was like i've been doing it my entire life. I was able to write upside down in mirror image or right to left or in any direction possible. I never even practiced! I JUST DID!
  • Jenn Feb 27, 2012 @ 3:00 pm | delete
    Yes, I've been mirror writing since I was a child and have continued to do it through-out my entire life. It's always my first form of writing and everyone is still amazed at the sight of this. It began as a natural form of writing and it's more normally to me than writing forward.
  • Kamacia Ponton Mar 19, 2012 @ 12:03 am | delete
    I am the exact same way..I have been mirror writing all my life. Some of my friends and family find it amazing and some think its weird. I find it a lot easier than writing forward
  • jimbarnes Feb 24, 2012 @ 6:07 pm | delete
    interesting lens
  • ade Feb 24, 2012 @ 4:32 pm | delete
    My mum told me that when i was younger, i used to mirror write. that's what led to me using my right hand, though i can use it for other few things. i still can, write normally, and also use the two together. i feel comfortable writing like that, and its also very fast.
  • Maya Feb 22, 2012 @ 4:09 pm | delete
    I can write mirror and normal writing at the same time :)))
  • mommafox Feb 22, 2012 @ 1:11 pm | delete
    What a great way to play brain games. I never tried this before.
  • Mike Feb 15, 2012 @ 3:04 pm | delete
    I can mirror write too. I searched online to see how many others could mirror write and came across this site. I am a right-handed person. I never practiced or taught myself to do this. I started doing it naturally and can do it relatively fast too. Now the thing is that I can invert mirror write too-if that makes any sense- which is writing mirrored text up-side down. I thought everyone could do it. I asked my friends to try and watched them try and try and try to just write one letter in reverse. Just thought I'd share my experience with you all. If only mirror writing could be used for something useful and constructive but unfortunately no use can come out of it.
  • Fernanda Freitas Feb 15, 2012 @ 12:13 pm | delete
    I mirror write since I was a kid. And it happened accidentaly, just like Paula described here below. I don't think about it, it just happens. I wonder what use is there for this kind of "gift"? It is fun, for sure, but can it be useful?
  • socialnetworksoft Feb 12, 2012 @ 6:12 pm | delete
    First time from you. wow! what a great talent you have. I try to do so but i think it's impossible for me.
  • catincanada Feb 13, 2012 @ 10:37 pm | delete
    Yep that was my firsttime here social network. Thanks. This is now my second time here.

    I don't think impossible is quite the right term. I'd be inclined to say exceedingly difficult maybe, if you don't have the right genetics (if it really is genetically linked). I think it would still be possible for someone without the right genes to practice until they could do it if they wanted to be able to do it badly enough, but that said, I imagine it would be hard for them and take a lot of time and effort. Probably months or years to perfect it for those without the right dna/brain-structure/genes, but still most likely possible.

    Of course, chances are a person who is having trouble doing it due to having the wrong genes/brain structure etc would give up long before they perfected it, since very few people will keep on trying something if they find it difficult and feel as if they are making no progress/headway at it. So I think if one wanted it bad enough they could teach themselves to do it even if they didnt have the right brain structure or right genes, but they'd likely give up before you succeeded.

    I'd say its likely something anyone could learn if they had the time and patience and determination to do it (like swimming, bike riding, learning latin etc) but the reason people don't is they don't have the need, want, drive or time to teach themselves it and give up on it if its not inherently easy for them (but why they would want to is another question, since its not something a person will have need for in your normal every day life)

    So to summarize, I don't think "impossible" is accurate, the realty is more likely that its exceedingly difficult to the point where any gain you get from doing it is outweighted by the difficulties in learning to do it, when its not something that comeseasily and naturally to you.

    Anyhow have a good day.
  • catincanada Feb 11, 2012 @ 10:24 pm | delete
    Yep I have heard of it, I can do it. I'm ambidextrous. I remember as a kid when I was learning to write I used to always end up holding the pen in my left hand. I write right handed because Iwas told I was right handed plus once when a teacher asked I answered I was right handed because I was told I was by family, friends of the family and other people generally so every time she saw the pen in my left she'd pull it outa my hand and put it in the right (didnt happen a lot but it happened a few times- and she, the teacher was a lefty, go figure) I just tried the both hand 1 backwards 1 forwards and could do that too. Have yet to try upside down like I read on paper but when I tried using paint on my computer I could write upside down BUT it was backwards when I flipped my test text over to check it. So I might or might not have been born a lefty but I am definately ambidextrous, can write with both hands was able to write with both simultaneously AND I can write backwards. I can sorta write upside down if my first time ever try with windows paint is indicative but its backwards when I do. What I have wondered about reading writing backwards is, will it keep my brain fit healthy and active when I grow old, and is it considered brain exercise. And reading that it means I might have language centers in both brain hemispheres is way cool because it means even if I ever had a stroke in old age in 1 brain sides language center the odds are I have a duplicate center on the other side that could take over meaning Id still have language capabilities of some sort even if that happened. So I say... COOL!
  • prew_v@hotmail.com Feb 9, 2012 @ 9:43 am | delete
    I can I can I can
  • SN Feb 7, 2012 @ 11:25 am | delete
    I am left handed only when writing (Right handed for cutting w/ scissors, throwing ball, golf, etc...) and have always had the ability to Mirror Write... I find it harder to write print in mirror, cursive flows and feels natural.
  • Sherry Feb 6, 2012 @ 11:54 pm | delete
    Years ago, when I heard that Da Vinci wrote backwards. I thought I would give it a try. I was surprised how easy it came to me. I also find it fairly easy to read the backwards writing. I think that this is related to neurological wiring, the ability to this might be more like a natural ability for math or language.... but less useful. I also share other personality traits with da vinci (though I make no claims for genius). I have always been able to draw well, would spend hours thinking about simple machines and exploring science even as a young child. I struggle with self doubt, and it drives me to overcompensate by trying to educate myself.
  • Paula Feb 6, 2012 @ 1:53 pm | delete
    There is a girl that lives in Poteau, OK that, if you say a word to her, she can automatically say it backward. I wonder if that is a form of mirror talking. Here's her on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O0ubiIYYYY&feature=player_embedded
  • Paula Feb 6, 2012 @ 1:50 pm | delete
    Mine was completely instant. I happened upon it completely by accident that I could do this because I was writing an answer on the dry erase board with my left hand and kinda suprised myself I could do it. I don't know if anyone else in my family can do this - none of them have mentioned it at least. I find that if I think about it, I mess up but if I just let it go, I can write in cursive and print perfectly backwards (although not neat).
  • Miriam Feb 6, 2012 @ 2:04 am | delete
    Mirror writing doesn't seem like something that should be inherited to me. Maybe it is something that is easier for people with a certain gene, but it seems like anyone could train themselves to do it. I didn't realize how uncommon it was until I read this, because it only took me a couple times through the alphabet to get it. But it wasn't like, completely instant, so would that be a case of training myself to mirror write, rather than inheriting a gene that enabled it?
  • Ravi Feb 5, 2012 @ 8:55 pm | delete
    I can do this too.. i find it easy to visualize it in my brain before writing the word
  • Nino Demuria Feb 3, 2012 @ 4:14 pm | delete
    I can do this and I wonder if there are any scientists interested in research. I would take part in an experiment.
  • Almost ambidextrous, but not yet. Feb 3, 2012 @ 12:38 am | delete
    I am right handed, and I could write this way very easily ever since I tried it. But reading it is way more difficult!! It's effortless as long as I don't think about it too much, like the dancing centipede :D
  • Travis Feb 1, 2012 @ 11:54 pm | delete
    I don't really write in mirror image anymore but I tried it today and I still haven't lost it. I used to write all my notes in mirror image in high school because I'm left handed (only in writing though...still have not figured that one out) and the ink would get all over my hands when I wrote. I started to write in mirror image and my teacher would scan it and flip it on the computer for me so that he could read it. Needles to say, I got a lot of attention in class for that. One in 6500 people huh? I have met one person in my life who could do it. Her and I met at a party and all of our friends surrounded us while we had a little competition going.
  • MisterJeremy Jan 30, 2012 @ 7:10 pm | delete
    I have relatives who can talk like that and understand each other. It's really mind blowing.
  • Beatrix Jan 20, 2012 @ 6:09 pm | delete
    I too thought it's no big deal, and just easier to write mirror image with my left hand rather than from left to right. Writing with both hands at once I find almost easier still than mirror writing with my left hand only. Since am am doing the same motion with both hands, just mirroring each other, it flows very nicely... Again, I didn't ever think it was unusual for a left hander who was made to write with her right hand 50+ years ago....
    the upside down thing i've never tried but suspect is an entirely different trait.
  • Surf Jan 19, 2012 @ 1:36 am | delete
    Wow, I always thought that this was relatively common and that a great deal of people could write and read backwards. Makes sense that it's more common in lefties. I'm ambidexrrious and I switch hands while writing sometimes. Can't wait to try writing with both hands lol.
  • davespeed Jan 12, 2012 @ 2:13 pm | delete
    Wow, I had never heard of mirror writing. This is fascinating. Thanks for sharing this lens with all of us.
  • ROZZY Jan 9, 2012 @ 8:41 pm | delete
    Always had the ability but never new the correct term for it. Happen to search with the words (the art of writing backwards) and discovered a whole culture of Mirror Writers. Besides driving my teachers to distraction in school by writing mirror notes, I used the talent to amaze friends and aquaintences at gatherings. Although I do not consider printing as true Mirror WRITING as I believe anyone with a little effort can print backwards.
    To this can be added, after reading studies regarding this phenomenon, that cognitive skills can accompany this ability and to this I can attest.
  • Bilal Jan 11, 2012 @ 12:02 pm | delete
    Hey. I would love to read the article about cognitive advantages. Please can you provid a link
  • jadehorseshoe Dec 31, 2011 @ 10:31 pm | delete
    Yes. Great Lens.
  • Amy Dec 29, 2011 @ 12:33 pm | delete
    I recently watched Brad Meltzer's Decoded on Leonardo da Vinci and heard about mirror writing so I decided to look it up, then try it for myself. I am left handed and found that I am able to mirror write quite easily. My cursive normally is horrible it always has been so I stick to writing in print and can easily mirror write in print as well.
  • good4us_all Dec 20, 2011 @ 5:13 pm | delete
    I have no trouble reading mirrored text, but have never tried writing that way. That video about writing in two directions at once was fascinating! It must have been such a thrill for you to be able to do it. Maybe I'll try it some day ...
    ;-) Karin
  • Cath Dec 13, 2011 @ 9:53 pm | delete
    Hi, great to find this place... I am not alone !! I am 'hopelessly 'left handed'.. eat left handed... left handed cheque book !! etc etc. I have always been able to mirror write and tonight after reading some of the comments... I found out I can mirror with left and write normally with right at the same time!!!! I can read mirror writing and read upside down.. every which way. Although they tried to supress my leftiness at primary catholic school (and yes.. they were every bit as bad as you thought they were) I triumphed in the end !!
    Mirror writing is so natural to me, dont even have to think about it. But no history of it in the family, my 2 sisters cant do it and none of my 3 sons can either..... and of all the people I have ever known (i'm 64 now)..... I never met anyone else that could do it....except Leonardo of course !... but I didnt acually know him... honestly !
    I never had any trouble learning to read or write or anything, I am artistic and love painting and drawing and being creative... just had a thought... if it is so rare now.... it would have been even rarer in Leonardos' day..... maybe were all from the same gene pool !!!! lol.... just a thought... been great reading all your stories.
  • Jennifer Conry Dec 7, 2011 @ 4:12 pm | delete
    I found out I mirror write quite by accident when I injured my main writing hand (right) in seventh grade. I took notes the first day with my left hand and realized later that they were a mirror image. In fact I write much more naturally backwards with my left hand than forward. It is so difficult for me to write forward with my right hand that I have to think about how the letters are formed. I can write with both hands at the same time and it will look like their is a mirror down the middle. I write neater backwards with my left than forwards and faster. I can also write backwards with my right hand easily. Of course read backwards and upside down. And interestingly I do most other things backwards with my left hand. Like stir the opposite way. No one else in my family can. My mom always thought it was due to a head injury. I wonder if my son will be able too
  • wallis griffith Dec 6, 2011 @ 3:27 pm | delete
    My daughter died when she was 42. She started writing with her left hand, and at 7 started using both hands. I found it amusing, I have 1 brother who is lefthanded. In her early 20s she started mirror writing, one sentence, then whole paragraphs, it looked so normal while she was doing it, but to me ,it was freaky. I must say too she was highly intelligent. what I am saying is real, she could have discussed any topic, when I say any I mean anything someone wants to know, just ask Darlene, that was scary to me too.
    eventually I believe her brain gave way .One week before she died, she told me her brain is not as it used to be, the next week she commited suicide.
  • Shay Nov 30, 2011 @ 11:52 pm | delete
    I just started doing it the other day. Amazingly I picked it up from playing Assassin's Creed. I was interesting in Da Vinci, saw he was a lefty like me and wrote that way, so I picked up my pen and started taking my college notes in Mirror just to see if anyone would notice. I can't do cursive yet as I tend to write mostly in block print anyway.
  • Paul Singh Nov 27, 2011 @ 8:55 am | delete
    Hi, I am very very new to this mirror writing. My main hand to write is the right hand. The other day i (was bored), reliased that i could write with my left hand too...... upon further examination i relised that the sentance that i had written was back to front and could only be read looking in to the mirror....

    Today i made another discovery.... i can write with my left and right hand at the same time. The left hand would produce a mirror image and the right hand would be normal...

    Thanks for reading my thread.
  • The Irish Deb Dec 28, 2011 @ 11:08 pm | delete
    That is what I do too. I have not found someone else who does this...fun to impress people with in class. Someone told me recently it was because the two sides of my brain were not connected?? Beats me.
  • belle_mmf Nov 24, 2011 @ 12:37 am | delete
    I've been mirror writing for as long as i can remember ! (and I'm a 6th grader) i use it on the journals i keep so that when people take a peek they won't understand a thing ! Though i'm not a left hander i can still mirror write. (I'm a right hander but i can write with both left and write hand anyway) i can never get tired of using mirror writing !! ^.^ it wasn't heredity in my case. i learnt it myself too...
  • mandy70 Nov 16, 2011 @ 12:02 pm | delete
    Ive been writing left and right, mirror writing, and also write TWO different words at the same time (using left and right hands together) and been able to do this from early age..my mum noticed it and thought it was amazing! I use it as a party peace now lol how many more can do it...would love to know
  • laurie Nov 14, 2011 @ 12:15 am | delete
    I am a mirror writer and also have no sense of
    direction. Just wondering if the two might be related
    or common with others?
    Also, when I write backwards I don't really visualize
    it in my head. It just seems that my hand knows
    how to form the cursive letters without me giving
    it much thought.
  • Carinaeta Nov 11, 2011 @ 10:35 am | delete
    Hi, im also a mirror writer and agree its a fairly useless, if fascinating talent, unless you are trapped with terrorists in a steamed up room, in which case you can write messages on windows to the police snipers waiting outside?. I can write backwards either left or right handed as fast as I can write forwards. I cant read the mirror writing though. I have dyscalculia which is number blindness and a form of dyslexia. I think this ties in with using both halves of the brain, my half which deals with numbers is practically redundant but my writing and language skills were always accelerated so I reckon my brain rewired itself to make use of the gaps. i love the video where the person writes with both hands, backwards, forwards and upside down, I definately cant do this. I know why Leonardo Da vinci wrote backwards though (possibly) If I was making notes as school I would usually do them backwards, no one bothered to copy/try to read them as they just assumed I was writing in another language or code.
  • Dan Nov 9, 2011 @ 5:18 pm | delete
    I didn't realise it was such a rare thing. I have been able to mirror write as long as I can remember. I saw a music film clip where they were writing on glass & obviously they would have had to be mirror writing, my brain just thought, I can do that & so I tried & I wrote neater backwards than I do forwards with no issues at all. I find it easier to write this way. It's fun giving my little sister letters she has to read in the bathroom :) thanks for all those facts, very interesting!
  • David Nov 6, 2011 @ 7:50 pm | delete
    I am an ambidextrous mirror writer with both hands.
  • Wan Amier Nov 6, 2011 @ 1:18 am | delete
    I came across mirror writing when I first wrote normal writing and put it up on a mirror... I was amazed and by that time I suddenly can write mirror writing...I too showed my friends and they could not read a single word
  • Epiphany Jean Nov 2, 2011 @ 3:42 pm | delete
    I came across this and found it very interesting, I thought to myself that it was probably something really complicated to do, but I tried it and it turned out great. The handwriting isn't the greatest, but I think with a little practice, it'll be great! I'm so glad I came across this site!
  • Courtney Nov 1, 2011 @ 7:22 pm | delete
    I had never heard of mirror writing until I googled "Right handed child writing mirror image with left hand." I was at a restaurant with my mother and 5-year old son and they have paper on the tables and give the children crayons to color with...I was amazed when my son (who writes with his right hand) picked up the crayon with his left hand and wrote an exact mirror image of his name on the table with the same speed and skill as with the right, it literally looked identical to what he would have done with the right, just with left and mirrored. I immediately went home and googled it because I was so confused. I did read, however, that this can be normal with pre-school aged children. I haven't heard of anyone who knows anything about this...thank goodness for the internet.
  • Billal P Oct 29, 2011 @ 5:37 pm | delete
    Just to add to my previous post: I have also noticed that while driving or reading patients' chest x-rays I always struggle in finding out which is left and which is right. However when I see a person using their left hand (for example writing) I instantly notice they are using their left, even trivial matters like sipping a glass of water, I will get a sudden realisation of them using which hand. Strange. I am not sure if they are connected to mirror writing.
  • Bilal P Oct 29, 2011 @ 5:18 pm | delete
    I have been able to mirror write for a number of years now. I am left handed in writing, but with all other tasks I am predominantly right handed. However I am also ambidextrous. I have always written at a slant since I was young, then I slowly discovered I can also write very close to upside down. I later found out I can write back to front too "mirror" writing, which I found much easier than normal directional writing. But I always put this down to the fact that I can also write Urdu/Arabic which are written right to left. I also have an identical twin is more predominantly left handed. He can also read and write mirror writing. I was amazed at the concept of using mirror writing and ambidextrous skills simultaneously, so unjust tried it now. Because I find it easier to write away from each hand. I did not realise it was such a rare skill, but I definitely think it is something down to the crossing of the collosum fibres (I'm a student doctor). At school I always excelled at both left sided and right sided skills: I was good at mathematics as well as art. This could also be down to the same physiological background. I'm glad I read his article.
  • Jo White Oct 20, 2011 @ 9:48 am | delete
    I can write upside down and backwards so that when I rotate the paper around it looks like I just wrote it normally. Is that related?
  • LeanneChesser Oct 22, 2011 @ 10:18 am | delete
    Well, it's not actual mirror writing, but it's something unique and somewhat similar.
  • Jackie Oct 28, 2011 @ 7:53 pm | delete
    Hello! I guess I am a "mirror writer" as well. I am left handed for most fine motor activites, and am able to mirror write on the left while writing normally with my right [at the same time]. I happened to demonstrate this skill to my neurology specialized nursing instructor, and she seemed very impressed by it (while I never have been myself). She choose discuss this with a Neurologist, who demonstrated equal interest, and asked if I would mind participating in a research study on language by having a PET scan done. After reading through all these comments, I will be sure to share any information I attain with this investigative process!
  • Mouse1765 Oct 12, 2011 @ 11:37 am | delete
    I have always been able to mirror read, but more recently did mirror writing, no real problem. I am right handed, but can write left or right handed, backwards and forwards, and upside down. I can also write 2 handed mirror right hand, forward left handed. I can't write properly joined up forward right hand, but can easily mirror writing, and with my left hand, no problems. Wierd.
  • Stephanie D. Oct 1, 2011 @ 8:29 am | delete
    I've always done it and when I read that Da Vinci wrote his notes that way I didn't understand why he was considered so intelligent. Our teacher put an example on the board and and asked if anyone would read it and I just read it like normal, I didn't even realize the sentence was backward. My mother also can do this so the genetic aspect rings true here, although she is right handed while I am ambidextrous. Interesting but I don't think it is a very useful skill.
  • shericaruso68 Sep 22, 2011 @ 4:11 pm | delete
    Extremely interesting!!!!
  • bames24 Sep 22, 2011 @ 12:33 am | delete
    sounds very interesting... I might have a go at it :)
  • Ruthi Sep 20, 2011 @ 8:01 am | delete
    I've never heard of mirror writing, perhaps because I can't do it. Quite an interesting Squidoo lens topic.
  • LisaAuch Sep 20, 2011 @ 7:56 am | delete
    this was awesome,and such an interesting page! Blessedby a passing angels
  • Staceysk Sep 11, 2011 @ 6:49 pm | delete
    While I can't write with both hands at the same time, I am able to mirror write with my right hand. Finding that out was a fluke simply because I tried it once when I was young. Maybe I am able because my writing has always seemed left handed even though it's not (slanted to the left on the page rather than the right). Love the vids.
  • Maura Sep 11, 2011 @ 10:37 am | delete
    Yes I realized I can write backwards with my both hands. I am right handed, and never knew I could do this until I tried to write with my left hand. I can write simultaneously with both hands, one regular, and mirror writing with my left hand. I am very artisitic, had no reading disabilities, excelled at reading actually.
  • Bette Aug 31, 2011 @ 10:33 am | delete
    Yes, I discovered I could write backwards with my left hand when I was a little girl. (I'm in my mid 70s now.) I can write forward with my right hand and, at the same time, write backwards with my left. I can also draw with both hands at once, each drawing facing in an opposite direction. I can also write and draw with both toes at the beach.
  • Sheri K Aug 29, 2011 @ 3:22 pm | delete
    Hi there,

    I started mirror writing in Jr. high school so that if my teacher found my notes she wouldn't be able to read it. It came very naturally but when I got older I found that I never met anyone who could do the same. After reading about it online I discovered that only a few are able to do it naturally.
  • 1personalgrowth Aug 22, 2011 @ 9:11 am | delete
    I've seen this before, but not sure where. Very impressive. I think I'll give it a go. Thanks for sharing!
  • Heather426 Aug 20, 2011 @ 12:40 am | delete
    Always loved this lens and can do mirror writing with ease...both hands. Like you I always assumed everyone could do it, and I always assumed everyone had photographic memory! What a jolt to find out differently! Anyway, really just coming by to say hi, so happy to have met you, and I hope we get to meet in person someday! You rock!
  • theraggededge Aug 15, 2011 @ 2:30 pm | delete
    I'm right-handed but can mirror write with my left. I don't practice it so am not very fast. I, too, thought everyone could do it.
  • Ramkitten Aug 12, 2011 @ 5:45 pm | delete
    Wow, that's cool! I definitely can't do this with one hand, let alone both at the same time! This was really fascinating. *Blessed*
  • RenaissanceWoman2010 Aug 12, 2011 @ 12:51 pm | delete
    Incredibly interesting. I first heard of mirror writing in association with Leonardo da Vinci. I am ambidextrous, but pretty sure I cannot do this. Human beings are endlessly fascinating. Enjoyed learning more about this trait. Thanks!
  • chrono13 Aug 2, 2011 @ 7:59 am | delete
    i can do mirror writing!!! although i do it slowly...
  • donna taylor Jul 29, 2011 @ 10:31 am | delete
    i can mirror write,im right handed but writes backwards with my left hand ,and forwards with my right at the same time,used to send freinds postcards!
  • SereneSea Jul 25, 2011 @ 12:26 am | delete
    Mirror writing is amazing, requires some practice. Interesting to know about the details and the concept.
  • LizMac60 Jul 24, 2011 @ 7:41 pm | delete
    Fascinating. I had a friend at school who wrote like this. She was left-handed. When she went to university she took down all the lectures in mirror writing.
  • akumar46 Jul 16, 2011 @ 10:38 am | delete
    Mirror writing is totally new concept to me.Nice lens,thanks for sharing.
  • holisticlifesquid Jul 14, 2011 @ 10:34 am | delete
    What a great lens! I had never heard of this before! Thanks for sharing.
  • vauldine Jul 3, 2011 @ 10:40 pm | delete
    All of these are techiques to help keep one focused,Thanks for sharing!
  • JoshK47 Jun 29, 2011 @ 10:58 am | delete
    Fascinating - I've never heard of this before!
  • Paula Parker Jun 21, 2011 @ 12:09 pm | delete
    I'm a mirror writer I guess, too. I just looked this up on a whim and never knew that there was even a term for it. Cool. I discovered this once when I was in high school and was in a contest with another student in Biology class. We were split into teams and I was up against another student. Whoever wrote the answer down the fastest, won. Well, I had the marker in my left hand and started writing the answer down backwards w/o even thinking. It's always been a kind of "parlor trick" for me. Cool to find other people are like that too.
  • Angel May 28, 2011 @ 2:13 pm | delete
    I am able to mirror write as well. I have been able to all my life and thought it was quite normal until teachers started looking at me funny while trying to read my assignments. Now that I know many people have difficulty reading backwards, I only write that way in my own notes. In class, I write forwards with my right hand on the front of the page and when I write on the back of the page, I write with my left hand mirrored. It helps to give my hands a rest while in long university lectures!
  • Maharnab May 28, 2011 @ 1:28 pm | delete
    Hi there...I just felt a spine tingling sensation when I saw the video with ambidextrous normal + mirror writing...because i can also do so...I discovered this fact when I got bored and used to draw symbols or pictures......I can write two languages now...although writing in English seems easier and smoother....I can do the writing from a dictation also....I dont need to see what I am writing....(I mess up with the parallel lines of my copy though)....I can even draw sometimes....Is it signs of dyslexia??....because I was never told so by my teachers in my 14+ years of study life......nor is my father's side known to have one....can dyslexia arise with age......????
  • spica May 27, 2011 @ 12:20 pm | delete
    Though born as left-handed, I use my right hand to write as my parents told me to do so when I was young. However, I still can use my left hand to write and writing in mirror is easier :) I did not know it's not very common among people. I am native Japanese speaker but can write mirror both in Japanese and English, and I found alphabets are bit easier. I sometimes use chopsticks with my left hand and write letters with my right hand at the same time. Thank you for this very interesting article.
  • Suzy Wilson May 26, 2011 @ 7:31 pm | delete
    I am also a mirror writer. It has always come very natural to me. I find I do it when I am bored with conversations going on around me. It's sort of a way to occupy my mind, like doodling.
  • Mia May 19, 2011 @ 2:42 am | delete
    I have been able to do mirror writing since I saw it TV a couple years ago. I also have synaesthesia.
  • MedicalBootcamp May 17, 2011 @ 7:30 am | delete
    How cool is that?! I've always had a bit of synaesthesia, but I've never even heard of mirror writing. This is exactly the kind of thing Squidoo is for...VERY cool lens!
  • elyria May 13, 2011 @ 1:47 pm | delete
    Wow, so interesting! I have never heard of this before.
  • awakeningwellness May 7, 2011 @ 1:07 pm | delete
    i have never heard of mirror writing but how cool to be able to do it!
  • sukkran May 5, 2011 @ 9:46 am | delete
    it is new to me. thanks for introducing a new art.
  • ViJuvenate May 2, 2011 @ 7:16 am | delete
    Very cool!
  • Helenee May 1, 2011 @ 1:08 am | delete
    I've never heard of mirror writing, but it seems fun. I tried it on the spot, and it works quite well -- for an absolute beginner! I am basically right-handed, but I use my left hand for certain tasks, and I can also write with left, if need arises. That makes me ambidextrous, no? So, perhaps that's why it worked at once for me.
  • Rhonda Apr 19, 2011 @ 7:39 pm | delete
    Hi :)

    All of this is very interesting, indeed! I, too, am able to write backwards (mirror) and only discovered this about ten years ago (I'm 45). What is also pretty neat is that I'm able to also write upside-down.....as well as upside-down & backwards. It is a lot of fun, and people are usually quite amazed ;)
  • Daniel Apr 15, 2011 @ 8:39 am | delete
    Hey ive noticed i can do this too. I can also do it with both hands at the same time (left writing backwards, right going forwards) I thought most people could do it :| as it doesnt really take much effort for me to do, if any at all.
  • Jennynn Apr 13, 2011 @ 10:42 am | delete
    I'm really glad to have found this site. I think I first found I could mirror write as soon as I actually learned cursive writing at primary school (I am in my mid 50s). I just felt the need to do it - if that does not sound too strange! I am right-handed and mirror-write with my right hand as well, which I think may be unusual. I don't know anyone else who does it. As it is quite rare, I think it is a shame that I cannot benefit from it, in the way that a natural cartoonist or artistic person can.
  • LeanneChesser Apr 13, 2011 @ 10:55 am | delete
    Hi, Jennynn. I'm right handed and I mirror write with my right hand as well. Great to meet you!
  • miaponzo Apr 13, 2011 @ 2:12 am | delete
    Wow.. VERY interesting! Thanks for enlightening us!
  • RandomePersonne Apr 7, 2011 @ 4:06 pm | delete
    Yes! I was always able to do it (and recently got in trouble for writing my class notes that way, although most of the other kids were amazed by the fact that I could read it too). I'm naturally cross-dominant (write/draw/use scissors right-handed, throw/catch/reach/hold things/everything else left-handed). But my preschool teachers fiddled with my left hand, so maybe I was originally a leftie, but I'll never know. I'm working on my leftie handwriting too. I tried the activity in the video, and it's soo much fun! Hehehe I feel special now...
  • Helenee May 1, 2011 @ 1:13 am | delete
    I finally learnt what I am! "Cross-dominant," that is.
  • BigGirlBlue Apr 3, 2011 @ 8:30 pm | delete
    I have a hard time with my regular writing, never mind mirror writing. LOL
  • kwilfeard Apr 3, 2011 @ 7:07 pm | delete
    I have been able to mirror write for as along as I can remember. I am right handed and can mirror write with both my left and right hand. When I was in school I mirror wrote my notes during class (right handed). ( I actually got in trouble many times for it!) When I got out of school I worked on my left handed writing and now it is as neat (sometimes neater) than my right hand. I can also rght with both hands at the same time. I can write regular with both hands at the sametime and also mirror write with both hands and also normal with my right and mirror with my left. I think its a cool trick to show people. I still find myself mirror writing with my left hand in meetings without realizing im doing it!
  • catbehaviors Apr 1, 2011 @ 3:37 pm | delete
    I can mirror write, but not easily. It usually takes me a while to form each letter. Very interesting lens!
    Blessed by a SquidAngel. 0:)
  • GrowWear Apr 1, 2011 @ 3:28 pm | delete
    Still finding this fascinating. Just tried it and kept getting tangled up. :)
  • Mar 31, 2011 @ 8:58 pm | delete
    Wow! Thank you for sharing! I never heard of mirror writing...
  • Alex Mar 30, 2011 @ 7:03 pm | delete
    Hooray for mirror writers! I just found out I could a few months ago. It had always been hard for me to write with my left hand (I am right handed), and some letters naturally came out backwards. Then, when i stopped trying, everything came out backwards! I am also ambidextrous (forwards w/ right, mirror w/left). It's good to know I'm not the only one!
    Although, my mirror writing is very messy. Perhaps that is because I am used to using my right hand? And I have less control over my left? I am trying to improve my mirror writing.
  • J.C. Mar 30, 2011 @ 2:43 pm | delete
    Wow...I can mirror write, but I thought most people could. Guess I was wrong.
  • UKGhostwriter Mar 13, 2011 @ 4:32 am | delete
    I never knew is was a popular, very interesting too.
  • eaglewizdom Feb 17, 2011 @ 2:59 pm | delete
    I've been able to mirror write and write with both hands at the same time since I was 7. I recall writing with both hands at the same time (mirror with my right, normal with my left) at that young age because I thought it helped me write better with my left (I'm naturally a righty and not dyslexic) and I was actively trying to be ambidextrous. I found that the "feeling" of mirror writing with my right was the same as the "feeling" of writing with my left normally - in fact, the penmanship is very similar between the two. I recently tried writing upside down and backwards (it took a little more concentration than normal mirror writing, but I could do it) and found that when I stopped, my vision and reading were impaired in the sense that letters seemed to move around the screen, so I concluded that it was a different process for my brain, since mirror writing doesn't mess with my normal reading and writing. Fascinating! Wish I some some good use for it other than parlor tricks!
  • Thiansay Jan 30, 2011 @ 9:43 pm | delete
    can i force myself to start to develop this skill? even though im not left handed, and don't really have this skill naturally? this is so interesting that i just want to have the skill :D
  • LeanneChesser Jan 31, 2011 @ 6:11 am | delete
    You don't have to be left handed. I'm not. Forcing yourself might not be the best idea, but you could try to learn the skill, I suppose. I do it naturally, so I've never really thought about trying to learn it . . . but I think you could.
  • TERRY Feb 22, 2011 @ 8:58 am | delete
    YOU CAN LEARN THE SKILL. WHEN I WAS IN WELDING SCHOOL MY INSTRUCTOR TOLD US .WHEN YOU HAVE WELDED LONG ENOUGH YOU WILL HAVE SUCH HAND CONTROL YOU CAN WRITE BACKWORDS , THEN HE SHOWED US . I GOT UP AND WROTE ABOUT TWICE AS FAST AND THREE TIMES AS SMOOTH.-- HE WAS BLOWN AWAY.HE HAD NEVER RAN ACROSS A MIRROR WRITER.
  • Philippians468 Jan 23, 2011 @ 7:19 pm | delete
    such an interesting lens! cheers
  • Rich Deegan Jan 12, 2011 @ 7:20 pm | delete
    Well I knew I could write backwards--been able to all my life--never thought much about it--freaks the kids out--hen on Facebook someone asked if I could write with both hands at the same time--I wrote mirror with right and normal with left (i am right handed)---surprised the heck out of me when I did it--kinda cool though
  • rimide Jan 12, 2011 @ 7:42 pm | delete
    I can also write upside down
  • Alex Mar 30, 2011 @ 7:06 pm | delete
    wish I could...
  • Rosa Jan 12, 2011 @ 3:23 pm | delete
    I've always been able to mirror write and draw. People always think it has to do with practice, but that's not the case. I'm pretty ambidextrous, and I've never been forced to write with a particular hand (although I favor my right). No dyslexia or any other language related issues. None of my children have inherited the ability though... It's a fun skill I guess, but other that, I'm not sure there's a more tangible benefit :)
  • Elizabeth Newsome Dec 30, 2010 @ 9:41 am | delete
    I am 45 yrs old and I just found out this year that I am one of the few that can mirror write. I hid this ability for many years because I thought that it was something wrong to do, but my college professor said that Da Vinci could do it, so I now believe it is not wrong. I had a weird upbringing!
  • Dec 29, 2010 @ 2:05 am | delete
    Wow, that's really clever. I have a hard time writing normally so writing backwards and inside out is far, far out of my comfort zone.
  • Erica Dec 22, 2010 @ 8:01 pm | delete
    I knew about it, but really didn't think about it until I watched a documentary on Leonardo da Vinci. The documentary mentioned Leonardo being left-handed, and almost automatically I remembered something zi had read about left-handers and mirror writing. They showed his journals and how he wrote. I thought, "Hey, I bet I can do that!" A very vague memory kept popping up- I felt like I had mirror written when I was very young, but I couldn't exactly remember. So I picked up a pen and wrote a few words. Voila! Except for the stray s and d, I wrote perfectly. Of course, I have CP. Writing frontwards was hard for me to begin with, and I knew my mirror writing would be skewy. But it's really fun to be able to write like Da Vinci did!
  • leo2 Dec 19, 2010 @ 7:44 pm | delete
    I'm in my late 40s, and have been a mirror-writer since I was about 11 or 12 years old. I am left-handed and can do this easily and quite naturally. Although this is probably a form of dyslexia, I can honestly say that it has never interfered with my ability to read, write, or comprehend. At work, I tend to mirror-write at meetings when I am bored; curiously, I've always found that mirror-writing actually relaxes my mind. It is a curious ability, but I've rather enjoyed it, and yes, people who see me do this are amazed. For those who can mirror-write: I think it shows great eye-hand coordination and spatial abilities; definitely has something to do with the brain's wiring.
  • Fhyve Dec 15, 2010 @ 6:12 pm | delete
    I am a mirror writer and I am right handed. I cad do ambidextrous mirror/inverted writing (although the left hand tends to be messy). Neither of my parents are (to my knowledge) able to mirror write. I can read in a mirror and upside down. I am not dyslexic although I used to mix up "b"s and "d"s when writing a lot (only those and only when writing). I am a slow reader though; reading upside down or in a mirror is a little bit slower but I can still do it. I am terrible at spelling. Some of these things might be indicative of some abnormal language processing pattern. It freaks people out when I do it, its funny. Too bad it's not terribly useful.
  • Miss Flea Dec 7, 2010 @ 10:57 am | delete
    I am right-handed and not dyslexic. However, my brother and my Mum are both dyslexic. I am a mirror writer. I don't know what defines a 'true' mirror-writer, but I can write backwards easily. I also read backwards and upside-down and sometimes I have problems working out if things are upside-down or backwards when I see them. This causes problems when they write "No Entry" or "Wrong Way" on the road to define entrances and exits and I can't work out if it's upside-down (and is therefore an entrance from my perspective!) when I'm driving. (I hope that makes sense) It's useful in places where they only give you one menu between two though since whoever I'm with can read the right way up while I read upside-down! I didn't know this was quite a rare thing. My boyfriend is a leftie and can also write backwards with no problem. Perhaps there is a different genetic component involved if the ability is linked to left-handedness or not?
  • elizabeth newsome@rocketmail.com Dec 30, 2010 @ 9:55 am | delete
    Miss Flea, I believe there is a genetic component for mirror writing. Even though I favor my right hand, I do some things with my left, which explains my ability to ambidextrously mirror write. I also am slightly dyslexic. It is a hassle sometimes, but I really enjoyed amazing my kids with my ability . They especially liked when I mirror wrote with my feet!
    The older I became, the more my abilities in science and math increased, though. As long as the classes I took weren't too high pressure. My IQ has increased, also.
  • Harriet Dec 3, 2010 @ 10:07 am | delete
    How interesting - someone just asked me if I could write with my left hand (I am very right-handed) and it came out in fluent mirror - I can also write forwards with my right hand simultaneously to writing in mirror with my left. I'll have to ask my family if they can do so too!
  • Gail47 Nov 28, 2010 @ 6:18 pm | delete
    I've heard of it, but not written that way myself. Interesting lens!
  • glsonn Nov 25, 2010 @ 1:11 am | delete
    I'm a lefty who can mirror write fairly easily. I wonder if my lefty daughter can do the same. I'll have to find out tomorrow.

    (: .ereh etirw rorrim t'nac uoy dab ooT
  • LeanneChesser Nov 25, 2010 @ 9:23 am | delete
    Yes, too bad :).
  • Dhee Javier (tala_inthesky@yahoo.com) Nov 21, 2010 @ 5:39 am | delete
    I can mirror write since I was just a small kid. I didn't have any problems in spelling, reading or writing the normal way. I'm a mother and would like to know if this ability can be inherited. Please help me contact Dr Iain Mathewson from Australia who originally conducted studies on this. And oh, by the way, I am right-handed. Thanks.
    Dhee Javier
  • LeanneChesser Nov 21, 2010 @ 7:47 am | delete
    Hi, Dhee. Nice to meet you. It seems that mirror writing is inherited but nothing is known for sure. I'm not able to help you get in touch with Dr. Mathewson but you can Google him and find out if there's a way to contact him.
  • elizabeth newsome@rocketmail.com Dec 30, 2010 @ 9:48 am | delete
    I am also right handed and can do ambidextrous, upside down writing. I don't think it is anything weird anymore as I believed it to be when I was young. There are also reports of mirror writing being linked to dyslexia. Mine has gotten a little bit worse since I've gotten older. In the meantime, my IQ has risen to 160 and my science abilities have increased. I also have scoliosis, sleep apnea, and socialization issues. It's alright though, I just consider myself a traveler in the great, but scary journey of my life. If you ever contact Dr. Mathewson, please let me know. Thanks.
  • Peter Reynolds (reflectogenesis@hotmail.co.uk) Nov 20, 2010 @ 4:33 pm | delete
    I made a presentation at 'Toward A Science of Consciousness 2010; called 'Did mirrors cause consciousness?'
    I suggested in it that the roots of our human language can be traced to when we first discovered mirrors. It probably spread with the advent of metallurgy, particularly of gold in pharonic Egypt. I suggested the use of a mirror was the first time we could see our own mouth move in association with the sounds and expressions we made. I argued that prior to this - reflections in water were not of a particullar evolutionary advantage to us and there might also have been psychological reasons why we ignored our own reflections in water because of their fragility etc.
    At the same time we discovered mirrors this 'seeing of our own mouth move tuned and focussed all of our senses very precisely so that our sense of touch etc. became coordinated with our voice. This allowed us the accuracy needed to write and read.
    However I positted that these abilities were - although tuned to events in the real world.-were nevertheless mirror inverted with respect to it because of the optics of mirrors.
    Hence the symbols used in writing were mirror inverted representations of the world we usually see. So may be mirror writing is actually a true representation of the symbols and information we distil from the real world. and 'normal' writing is the oddity.
  • LeanneChesser Nov 20, 2010 @ 4:45 pm | delete
    Hi, Peter! What a fascinating, interesting and unique perspective! Thanks for sharing!
  • peter reynolds Nov 20, 2010 @ 10:57 pm | delete
    it is interesting that during the development of the earliest form of writing. cuneiform - all the symbols inverted in the left -riight plane, in a stepwise fashion - quite abruptly over a relatively short period of time. I cant remember the details, but it is well documented.- and would be worth reading about. The first purposeful mirror being discovered in Miletus in Turkey 6000 years ago -home of the myth of Narcissus *I suggested really a marketting story (like Rudolf ) to sell the first mirrors)
    If you think that the left side of your brain controls your right hand then you see yourself in a mirror and this appears - or gives the illusion that this is the other way around = so you think your reflection - seen for the first time - is inverted - so when you see yourself wink for the first time - things appear back to front.
    More evidence for this can be seen on YOUTUBE if you watch monkeys given small mirrors. Their overt reactions tell you that they have never seen themselves before as they really are - even though -like the first humans they have had water in which they could have seen themselves.
  • peter reynolds Nov 20, 2010 @ 11:04 pm | delete
    Oh and yes - it is a unique perspective - as a mirror is the only way on earth (other than water) in which you can naturally see the other side of an object - as it stands - as though standing behind it.
    So the fact that you can mirror write easily is rather suggestive that somehow - mirrors were involved - in the production of writing. As how else would you know - instinctively - that you mirror write? Did all of your readers come to this observation when they first saw their writing in a mirror?
  • Richard H Dec 16, 2010 @ 4:05 am | delete
    I have been researching mirror-writing all morning, and this came about after reading from this link: http://www.wholebrainguitar.net/index_gj.html that landed in my inbox earlier - it's ultimately a selling pitch, but what is interesting is the statement contained that learning mirrored-writing (and hence awakening a different area of the brain) will speed up certain neural activities and enhance one’s creativity. Since looking into this theory further, I have not found one other article on the interweb that supports this - however, it's a very interesting concept. Are those of you who have learned to master mirror-writing more creative? I am guessing that the answer is ‘Yes’! Did Da Vinci write like this because he knew he was training his brain to become ambidextrous and to open it up more to creative suggestion? Interesting indeed, and as a left-hander I am now going to start leaning to write like this right away – perhaps it will at least help with my guitar playing!
  • dhee javier Nov 21, 2010 @ 5:29 am | delete
    Hi, Peter. I am Right-handed and I can mirrror write. I would like to know more infor about this.
    Dhee
  • Peter Reynolds ( Reflectogenesis@hotmail.co.uk) Nov 22, 2010 @ 9:52 am | delete
    Hi
    Julian Jaynes - a professor at Princeton (recently deceased) put forward the idea that humans only became conscious (started thinking for themselves) about 3000 years ago with the advent of complex society - including cities - and language.
    His evidence was the change in languge used in the first literature - Homer - The Ilyiad etc that occurred abruptly over a short period. He said that 'thinking' or 'consciousness' only came about with the development of complex language over this short period.
    Before this - he advocated that humans were schizophrenic - and did things - when it mattered - as they were told by 'voices in their head'. The voices of the Gods - and this was why there were many gods - 'pre-language'.
    People had gods for everything - so that they could consult them in difficult situations (that these days people mostly are able to 'think' their way around.) (or consult books or the internet on)
    He suggested that this language spontaneously emerged through the complexity of the growing cultures of the time.
    I advocate that his observations are correct but that the driving force behind language was the spread of the use of portable mirrors.(with the discovery and spread of the use of metals) You will see such mirrors elaborately decorated in museums and I suggest - were for the rich - especially the best made of gold. In particlar I posit that the Egyptians actually worshipped them (at first because they were just shiny ornaments ) However in the in the later dynasties the word for mirror was Ankh. Which I suggest implies that by this time they thought mirrors were containers of the soul - literally. I believe that at this time gold mirrors were only available to the pharoahs (plus friends) and contributed to their being worshipped as Gods.
    Because what mirrors did was to allow people to see their own mouth move in association with the sounds they made and the expressions they produced simultaneously.
    At the time this 'tuning' gave the pharoahs literally literally super human poweres as it created literature - writing - in the form of hieroglyphs.
    This was why Anthony was besotted with Cleopatra.
    So mirrors arose in the Bronze age and therefore so did language.
  • Peter Reynolds Nov 22, 2010 @ 10:08 am | delete
    The other interesting question I would like to ask fluent mirror writers is -------When you look in a mirror do you think that your image has been inverted so that in the mirror - your left hand appears opposite your right hand.
    This is called mirror figure reversal and there are some very interesting debates about it.
  • peter reynolds Nov 22, 2010 @ 2:31 pm | delete
    What happens when
    a) you write ordinarily and look or glance in the mirror while you are doing it?
    b)you mirror write and glance in the mirror while writing.?
    Does your own image in the mirror change?i.e. does your perception of right and left change - do you see your left hand opposite your right and vice versa.? Or not.?
    Possibly if it does so due to a change in dominance between different halfs of the brain when writing.
  • E. McConnell Nov 15, 2010 @ 7:48 pm | delete
    I think the "one in 6500" is in error, for I found this figure was taken from a study where a researcher looked for mirror writers by posting a sample of mirror writing, and asking who could read it. What he found were people with a type of dyslexia, who have trouble deciding which way to write and/or read. Simple mirror writers find mirror writing no easier to read than does anyone else. I am one such, and also have a friend of the dyslectic variety.
  • LeanneChesser Nov 15, 2010 @ 9:39 pm | delete
    Thanks for your comment! In that study, Mathewson asked that sample (originally chosen based on their ability to read a passage in mirror writing) to write a passage in mirror writing and found that about 1 in 6500 of them were true mirror writers. Unfortunately, there's not a ton of information on the subject and that's the most frequently cited statistic. Just to add to the fact that things aren't clear in this area, I can read mirror writing quite easily and I'm not dyslexic. I don't have any trouble at all deciding which way to write and/or read.
  • Rebekah Cranwell Nov 13, 2010 @ 7:37 am | delete
    my part 2 - Other points I forgot to mention.... I am right-handed, and can also read backwards easily. In some cases I do a double take when I see reversed text to decide if its backwards or forwards. Something else I have also noticed, sometimes when Im recalling a past event the scene is flipped right to left (eg, even when I know I was the one driving, Ive recalled conversations with the passenger as if I was the one in the passenger seat).
  • Rebekah Cranwell Nov 13, 2010 @ 7:23 am | delete
    Hi all. I am a mirror writer, have always been able to write this way with no effort. Made for a couple of interesting essays in school that baffled my teachers (one about dyslexia, the other about mirrors). However my ability to read and write (from age 4) normally, and spell havent been affected. Something I did notice though is that after writing one of those essays heavily over one weekend, when I went to write normally it was difficult (something to do with having to swap hemispheres??) It doesnt appear to be hereditary in my case. Some years ago I read something about mirror writing being caused by a brain lesion. My theory is my ability may have been caused by hydrocephalus (excess water on the brain). The hydrocephalus arrested itself soon after birth, but it may have left a lesion (in my language centre?) to cause this ability.
    Yes Elaine, I would also love to know how we can make a living out of this! Circus freaks maybe?.. :)
  • LeanneChesser Nov 13, 2010 @ 11:42 am | delete
    Hi, Rebekah. Good to meet you! Most mirror writers don't have a problem with normal reading or spelling. Only people with various types of dyslexia have difficulty. It's interesting that you sometimes remember events in mirror image. Very cool.
  • LeanneChesser Nov 13, 2010 @ 11:51 am | delete
    I just want to add that I don't view mirror writing as something freakish. It's just a characteristic that certain people have for, as yet, unclear reasons (most likely genetic). It's not something to be exploited for profit. However, like I wrote to Elaine, people can certainly create businesses based on their passions and skills. In this case, that would be tough though.
  • Rebekah Cranwell Nov 14, 2010 @ 2:06 am | delete
    Hi Leanne.. I was kidding about the circus freak stuff! And yes it would be up to the individual what they choose to do with their ability... making profit was another tongue in cheek comment!
  • LeanneChesser Nov 14, 2010 @ 8:38 am | delete
    Good to know, Rebekah :).
  • Elaine Atwell Nov 6, 2010 @ 8:54 am | delete
    I am a mirror writer. It comes more naturally to me than writing the correct way. I have been doing this since I was about 8 or 9. Does anyone know if there is a way I can make a living from this?
  • LeanneChesser Nov 13, 2010 @ 11:48 am | delete
    Hi, Elaine. Tell me more about what you're thinking in terms of making money from your mirror writing. Certainly, people can create businesses based on their passions and skills. I think that this particular skill would be tough to build a business around, though.
  • Rebecca Nov 5, 2010 @ 4:43 pm | delete
    I'm a left handed mirror writer and have been all my life. It took me longer to learn how to write properly -- I've always just assumed that that's the way my brain processes the info.
  • LeanneChesser Nov 13, 2010 @ 11:44 am | delete
    I think that's exactly the case - - it's just how our brains process info (for whatever reason).
  • Pat Oct 30, 2010 @ 9:11 pm | delete
    I am a mirror-writer. I am right-handed and can do it as naturally as I write normally. I asked my mother, who is left-handed, if she could do it and she indicated that she is also a mirror writer. She didn't realize it until I asked her if she could do it. I've been doing it for as long as I can remember. People are amazed by it.
  • Debs Oct 29, 2010 @ 10:05 am | delete
    I mirror write! I do it so often and it's so much fun! I'm not really sure if it's hereditary for me, as I taught myself how. I'm trying to improve on it though, make it look prettier!
  • ReneeF Oct 28, 2010 @ 10:22 pm | delete
    I can do this! I just thought it was one of those quirky things. Thank you for giving me more information on this. I'm actually right-handed. But I mirror write with my left hand while writing correctly with my right hand. I don't know if I can write inverted, but I can bet you I'm going to give it a try. It is interesting to know--as far as heredity--I'm the only one in my family that can do this.
  • nDee Oct 27, 2010 @ 5:55 pm | delete
    Absolutely intriguing! Great coverage of this subject. Leaving a SquidBlessing behind . . .
  • strai Oct 27, 2010 @ 5:01 pm | delete
    Thanks for the info! My daughter is 6 and has developed a love of mirror writing. She is quite capable of writing normally and I recognized what she was doing as soon as I saw it so I was not concerned that there was a problem. I was more interested in how common this really is. It is good to know that we're both relatively normal:)
  • LeanneChesser Nov 13, 2010 @ 11:43 am | delete
    Definitely normal!
  • MarkUpshaw Oct 26, 2010 @ 1:42 am | delete
    Interesting topic. I had heard of it, but did not know that it was hereditary or a trait that did not have to be studied or practiced.
  • nightcats Oct 19, 2010 @ 7:39 pm | delete
    This is the first I've heard of it. Its quite a fascinating topic. Thanks for letting us know about this,.
  • aawally Oct 19, 2010 @ 10:27 am | delete
    actually, the other day, my 6 years old son came to me with a whole 6 lines paragraph mirror-written.. i freaked out, because he usually 'mis-write' some numbers and letters, but a whole paragraph, i couldn't understand! can you please explain to me what is it that's going on with?? how can i help him?? please!
  • LeanneChesser Oct 19, 2010 @ 8:16 pm | delete
    First of all, it's normal for young kids to print letters and numbers backwards sometimes. They eventually learn and usually don't do it anymore. Sometimes it's something that needs to be checked out further and only you would know if that's the case. I can't offer advice here based on a little bit of information. I will say, though, that if your son reads and writes normally and can also mirror write, there's nothing wrong with that and you don't need to help him or get worried. If he struggles with reading and writing normally, or mirror writes all the time, I'd get him checked out (talk to his school). This is only my opinion though.
  • Blurasis Oct 18, 2010 @ 7:02 am | delete
    Never seen this before, incredibly fascinating!
  • redflea13 Oct 16, 2010 @ 11:22 pm | delete
    There are people in the military that do this as a job. They write on glass so that people on the other side can read it. I saw this while I was in the Navy. I have also tried the ambidextrous kind and found it wasn't too difficult.
  • Alison Rosser Oct 14, 2010 @ 10:48 am | delete
    I have been mirror writing ever since I can remember. I'm left handed and always assumed this was the reason. I always doodle in mirror writing and get frustrated if I don't have pen and paper to hand when the urge takes me - and it really is an urge to do it. Good to know I'm not insane!
  • Allison_Whitehead Oct 11, 2010 @ 1:03 pm | delete
    I'd never heard of this - it's fascinating though! Thumbs up and I lensrolled you too.
  • KarenTBTEN Oct 8, 2010 @ 6:53 pm | delete
    Back to take another look at the brain theories... and leave a SquidAngel blessing.
  • Oct 4, 2010 @ 12:51 am | delete
    hmmmmmmm interesting. i knew of one, weird like a code writing... the jejemon writing
  • WorldVisionary3 Oct 3, 2010 @ 9:32 am | delete
    I actually have synesthesia, so I found this lens particularly interesting.
  • mukunda22 Oct 2, 2010 @ 12:00 am | delete
    Yep I am a born mirror writer. Never gave it much thought before reading this lens. I appreciate the insight. (I am Ambidextrous, and can write left and right handedly but mostly right hand writing plus do everything else with my left hand!)
  • NarrowPathPublishing Sep 28, 2010 @ 2:33 am | delete
    Thank you for this interesting topic. I have always been able to mirror write, and can read mirror writing most of the time. I always thought it was because of my Jewish heritage (Hebrew is read right to left.) I have Asperger's Syndrome and am ambidextrous so maybe those are involved as well.
  • enslavedbyfaeries Sep 22, 2010 @ 10:34 pm | delete
    I can't even wrap my brain around the idea of trying to mirror write, but I'm truly impressed by your remarkable talent. :)
  • Jing Sep 21, 2010 @ 5:03 am | delete
    I'm a right-handed person. But I can write using both of my hands at the same time. I write starting from both sides then meet at the center.
    My left hand writes the correct way while my right hand writes backwards
    Is it normal? My friends tease me and call me retard. :(
  • LeanneChesser Sep 21, 2010 @ 6:27 am | delete
    Hi, Jing. I can do the same thing. If you watch the video called "Mirror, Inverted and Ambidextrous Writing at the Same Time" (on this page) and read the text I wrote above it, you'll see that you're not alone. Also, a lot of the people who have commented on this page can do similar things. It's not common but it's "normal" (everyone is unique).
  • Dee Sep 23, 2010 @ 10:32 am | delete
    I am right handed, and used to write my 6th grade spelling tests in mirror image. One teacher said there was 'something wrong with' my brain, and that comment stayed with me over the years (I am 51). Only recently I see that the 'something wrong' may just be 'something different'. I decided to consider myself extra 'talented' from now on. Ha ha ha
  • LeanneChesser Sep 25, 2010 @ 10:09 am | delete
    It's so incredible how people's words can stay with us for so long, isn't it? I'm glad you were able to change your perspective!
  • Trace Sep 15, 2010 @ 1:00 pm | delete
    Do you know if there is actually any literature printed in mirror like this? I'd love a couple books printed front to back, mirrored :)
  • LeanneChesser Sep 15, 2010 @ 4:03 pm | delete
    Well, that would be really cool for people who see in mirror all the time. However, I don't think that any books like that exist.
  • T. Richard Corcoran Sep 12, 2010 @ 9:39 pm | delete
    For some reason, about a month ago, I "decided" to do mirror writing. I'm right-handed. I'm 54 years old and I've never done it before. It started with mirror calligraphy (I've done 'regular' calligraphy for decades) just from an impulse. It wasn't natural to do; I had to flip each letter in my mind--sometimes by first air-writing it regular--before writing.

    In the subsequent weeks, I've occasionally done it some more and it's become much easier. Yesterday and today I started doing regular (non-calligraphic) script. And today some mirror and reverse (starting with the last letter of a sentence and writing mirror and backwards to the first letter of the sentence.

    I'm doing all this by using my mind and not as something 'natural'. But apparently I have some innate facility to do this--or even to be attracted to it.

    Interesting.
  • LeanneChesser Sep 12, 2010 @ 10:05 pm | delete
    Very interesting!
  • LadyLovelace Sep 12, 2010 @ 6:21 am | delete
    I used to do this when I was little! I seem to have grown out of the habit, but it's still weird to look over old bits of writing and see it.
  • capriliz Sep 8, 2010 @ 9:03 pm | delete
    That is amazing that you can do mirror writing! I did not realize that 1 in 6500 people can actually do this. That really surprises me!
  • resabi Sep 7, 2010 @ 12:27 pm | delete
    Blessed. Forward AND Backward.
  • mich1908 Sep 6, 2010 @ 10:05 am | delete
    I've known of mirror image but never thought of mirror writing before. I've never tried it until now! I think it is good brain exercise...
  • Rhona Sep 2, 2010 @ 8:25 am | delete
    Hi, I've read a lot of comments today about mirror writing. I too can do this and I also thought nothing of it. It was just so natural to me, to the point my own parents never knew until I was in my forties and my father said to me that he had watched a prog on telly about mirror writing and was fascinated. He nearly fell off his chair when I casually wrote his name perfectly in mirror image. I also write with both hands (mainly left) but do a lot of other things with my right hand. It's great to know there is a site like this to share experiences.
  • LeanneChesser Sep 2, 2010 @ 8:41 am | delete
    Hi, Rhona! I'm glad you found my page - great to meet you.
  • Ellen Aug 19, 2010 @ 9:45 pm | delete
    I am right handed and love to mirror write. It just feels good to my brain and it is very relaxing. I instinctly started doing as a kid. If I print I can read most of what I write. It is more difficult to read when I write or use script letters. Concerning the theory that people who mirror write use two language centers was very interesting to me. I love to write and I love to edit my own writing. When I edit my writing I can actually feel the some switch in my brain. In fact, I like the process of editing better than the actually writing.
  • LeanneChesser Aug 20, 2010 @ 2:52 am | delete
    Hi, Ellen. I love editing too :). I like your explanation of how mirror writing and editing feels for you.
  • resabi Aug 19, 2010 @ 4:28 pm | delete
    Very interesting lens. I'm going to read some of the linked information. I've been able to mirror write since i was a kid. I'm right handed, but left-handedness runs in my father's family. When he was a child, left-handedness was considered undesirable and kids who had the tendency were forced to write with their right hands. My uncle had a very difficult time of it. He writes (illegibly) with his write hand but when he talks he often "gropes" for a word with his left hand. Also, when they stopped him writing with his left hand he began to stutter -- and still does, a bit (at age 85, so I guess that's permanent...). Thank you for this lens. Oh -- and I can read my mirror writing (and yours), but not easily. The writing is easy.
  • LeanneChesser Aug 19, 2010 @ 4:39 pm | delete
    Very interesting story - - thanks for visiting! Let me know if you find anything cool in the linked info!
  • Mac McConnell Aug 13, 2010 @ 3:33 pm | delete
    I notice some questions concerning my old post. I was normal in all ways, concerning writing....am right-handed, and learned to write in a conventional manner in school. I have no tendency to left-handedness that I have ever observed. In my case, my mirror writing seems to have no relationship to anything, other that the previously mentioned fact that my grandfather apparently was known by my mother to be able to write his name in both directions at once. And, no, I cannot read my own mirror writing.
  • E. McConnell Aug 13, 2010 @ 3:21 pm | delete
    I had been told by my mother that her father (my grandfather) could write his name in both directions at the same time, that is, in mirror writing with his left hand. He died before I was born, so I never knew him and thought little of this story. Then, when I was in my forties, I stood at a blackboard and for some reason started to write with my left hand.......and it was mirror writing. This very small sample makes me wonder if, like some other characteristics, i.e., color-blindness, it was passed along to me from my mother's X chromosome.
  • CastleRoy Aug 3, 2010 @ 6:44 pm | delete
    I am Dyslexic but I cant do mirror writing lol most dyslexics do not have this trait it is a smaller group of dyslectics I have a lens on it this lens was fascinating and mirror writing also seems fun I enjoyed your lens.
  • LeanneChesser Aug 3, 2010 @ 7:28 pm | delete
    I agree that it's a small group of people who are dyslexic who also mirror write. I'll go check out your lens :).
  • kurtis chua Jul 30, 2010 @ 9:09 pm | delete
    i just found this out while looking for topics on writing, and realized that i can do it... its not yet that good but ill probably work on this. how about writing the other one mirrorwhile upside down, can you guys do it?? i just tried it and it works for me..
  • LeanneChesser Jul 30, 2010 @ 9:18 pm | delete
    Hi, Kurtis. I can mirror write upside down, but not very well. I prefer to mirror write the right way up because I can do it freely. Although, if I practiced with the upside down writing, I'm sure I could improve.
  • lumpy22 Jul 27, 2010 @ 12:41 am | delete
    No I hadn't and don't think I am coordinated enough to do it. I like seeing yours.
    Thanks
  • Fran McDonald Berry Jul 23, 2010 @ 9:34 pm | delete
    Hi,
    I was so interested in finding other mirror writers! I too am left handed and just assumed everyone could write backwards. When one of my friends saw it he was fascinated and started trying it but could not do it! It was a real struggle to writ even one word.
    I did read that Leonardo Da Vinci left notes in mirror writing. Being an artist I was excited to learn this however might not be verified.
    Will be interesting to see how the research develops on this.
  • LeanneChesser Jul 23, 2010 @ 9:47 pm | delete
    Hi, Fran. Great to meet you!
  • Annie Jul 15, 2010 @ 10:39 am | delete
    Hello!
    I found this to be pretty interesting. I've been able to mirror write for as long as I can remember, but up until recently, I hadn't shown anyone because I thought it was a normal thing. I thought everyone could do it.
    Then one day, I did it on a chalkboard and got a lot of surprised reactions. I've met one other person since then that could do it. I can do the write-in-two-directions thing, too. It's a lot of fun. I once passed in a school paper written in mirror...haha. That annoyed the teacher.

    Anyways, I think there's someone else worth noting here.
    I'm not naturally left-handed, but I have to be for most things, because I was born with a birth defect that left my right hand pretty useless. The only finger I have on it is a mostly-immobile thumb, and while I can write and do some simple things with it, it is stiff and can be hard to do. It gets sore after a few minutes, too, so I tend to do things lefty. I'm kind of a "forced" lefty, but I have been since I was very young, so writing comes pretty naturally to me on either side. I wonder if that has something to do with it?
  • LeanneChesser Jul 15, 2010 @ 10:54 am | delete
    I love how you handed in a paper that was in mirror writing! That's funny! It's cool that we all have such similar stories of thinking that everyone could mirror write and then finding out that we were much more rare. Your story is interesting - - I'm not sure if that's a factor in your mirror writing or not.
  • Jacqui Jul 14, 2010 @ 3:49 pm | delete
    Hi. I feel as though I've been mirror writing forever! When I was little, a group of us decided we should have a "secret" way of writing to each other and I suggested we could write to each other this way ... mirror writing. I didn't have a name for it back then, and like many of you thought everyone could do it!!!. I quickly found out nobody else could do it except me.
    I'm right handed but do other things with my left hand like golf, bat a ball and do makeup application with both hands. I mirror write with my left hand and can also write with both hands at the same time ... it's so nice to know there are others just like me out there. So far I haven't met anyone else who can mirror write!!!
  • LeanneChesser Jul 14, 2010 @ 5:03 pm | delete
    Hi Jacqui,

    We sound really similar!! Good to meet you.
  • kate Jul 12, 2010 @ 3:14 am | delete
    hey! I first came across this int he Da Vinci code and found I could do it straight away. I am left handed and I can also do the two hand one forwards one mirror thing. I thought everyone could do it, its just that no one bothers. I think the genetic prevalance has yet to be fully explored. Definately a favourite member of my pretty useless skills set lol.
  • Joselyn Jul 5, 2010 @ 8:31 am | delete
    Hi, I have always been able to mirror write, although I didn't know it had a name I thought it was weird but had fun with my kids when they were young! I am left handed and I'm glad I've looked this up.....so does the fact that I'm a kiwi have any effect on this! lol as a matter of interest were any of you sleep walkers or talkers when you were younger (although I still talk in my sleep so I'm told) contact me my email is:jdwscz@yahoo.com.au
  • LeanneChesser Jul 5, 2010 @ 9:00 am | delete
    Hi, Joselyn. I'm not aware of geography having anything to do with it :). No, I wasn't a sleep walker or sleep talker. I'm also not aware of any connection there. Are your kids able to mirror write as well?
  • TERRY ALLEN Jul 12, 2010 @ 10:01 am | delete
    I TO SLEEP- WALKED AND TAKED AS A CHILD. WHAT IS A KIWI ?
  • LeanneChesser Jul 12, 2010 @ 10:10 am | delete
    A Kiwi is someone from New Zealand.
  • Juanita Jul 23, 2010 @ 9:52 pm | delete
    Hi Joselyn, I'm a 60 year old mirror writer. I grew up in a small farm town in Oklahoma. A teacher tried very hard to stop me from writing with my left hand, however, it didn't work. I found myself mirror writing in 1960. Again another teacher stepped in and told me that it was the work of the devil. How funny! Anyhow, I had to write to tell you that yes, I walk and talk in my sleep. I was at one time ready to play the Mozart piano concerto in A major with a .
    symphony (I was in the eighth grade). The night before the concert I played the piano at 3 a.m. waking the family. They said I was just banging away. I finished playing, got up and went directly back to bed. LOL Thanks for the memories.
  • Andrea Campbell Jun 29, 2010 @ 2:30 pm | delete
    Hello, It has taken me a long time to find others who can mirror write. I have this ability and it seems to amaze people. You stated that this mostly occurs with left handed people. I am right hand dominate at most things that require precision like writing and detailing, left hand dominate when it comes to lifting and carrying my purse. I write right handed and mirror write left handed. I guess it is pretty neat to be rare among the already rare. Thanks for your info.
  • LeanneChesser Jul 5, 2010 @ 9:01 am | delete
    Hi, Andrea. I'm also right handed for writing, but left handed in many other things (like eating). It's good to meet you.
  • puzzlemaker Jun 28, 2010 @ 6:48 am | delete
    I have never heard of this Leanne. This is amazing. I will try it even though I'm pretty sure I can't do it because I'm already having to think about what I'd have to do. We knew you were special but WOW :-).
  • LeanneChesser Jul 5, 2010 @ 9:01 am | delete
    :) LOL
  • Martha W Jun 21, 2010 @ 12:26 pm | delete
    I'm also a mirror writer. I am right handed, and can only mirror write with my left hand. Is it generally true that mirror writing is done by the non dominant hand??The handwriting is exactly the same as with my right, although a little spikier because I'm not generally ambidextrous. I can read mirror writing as well. There are several people in my extended family who are mirror writers, all female. Don't know if this is significant. I discovered I could write this way when I saw my mother's cousin do it-- a real surprise.
  • LeanneChesser Jul 5, 2010 @ 9:04 am | delete
    Hi, Martha. No, it's not generally true that mirror writing is done by the non-dominant hand. More often it's done by left-handers with their left hand (dominant). But I'm right handed and I mirror write with my right primarily. I can do it with my left as well and I can write normally with my left while I mirror write with my right.
  • paschar Jun 16, 2010 @ 7:28 pm | delete
    Hello LenneChesser , it`s me again old Paschar and I have something that may be of interest to you and your Lens , there has been a confirmed discovery of the gene helix that causes people to have to mirror write now known as the DCDC2 gene helix at chromasome 6 , I believe that the articles will make for interesting reading , now because of your lens and othjers like it , the final draft at Wikipedia has been compleated on what causes mirror writing regarding the DCDC2 gene being a Hereditary trait , a few of my Colleagues at ninds have viewed your lens and were surprized at the results as to the responce you have had . ps I was awarded my Phd three days ago for my results I have had with all of my online students , many of them have reviewed your lens and love it for it`s informative value , Professor S.D. Waner aka Paschar to ressehCennaeL
  • LeanneChesser Jun 16, 2010 @ 8:03 pm | delete
    Thanks, Paschar! And congratulations on your PhD!

    I'll check out all the information through your NINDS links. I did look at the Wikipedia article - very interesting information.
  • Stefanel C Jun 16, 2010 @ 11:25 am | delete
    I am from romania and i am a mirror writer too, i discover this not long ago
  • LeanneChesser Jun 16, 2010 @ 8:03 pm | delete
    Hi, Stefanel. Good to meet you!
  • skiesgreen Jun 15, 2010 @ 11:57 pm | delete
    Wow, you are full of surprises. I like to read upside down sometimes but have never experimented with mirror writing. *-*Blessed*-* and featured on Sprinkled with Stardust
  • Mac McConnell May 28, 2010 @ 9:32 am | delete
    HI,

    My mother used to tell me of my grandfather (her father) who could write his name in either direction at the same time. I never thought much about it until I was about forty, and suddenly discovered I am a mirror writer. So, it reinforces the idea that it is hereditary.

    Also, I suspect anyone who can read it easily, is also dyslectic, in one form, and in fact has to concentrate to recall which way he or she should write, themselves.

    Mac
  • LeanneChesser Jun 16, 2010 @ 8:06 pm | delete
    Hi, Mac. It does seem to be hereditary, especially with the new research/discoveries. I can read it easily, but I've never had a struggle with direction myself. Are you able to read it easily? What's your experience with concentrating to recall which way you should write?
  • Juli May 26, 2010 @ 8:30 pm | delete
    hello i found this article interesting because i am dyslexic and i have always mirror writen and my child has Rett Syndrome. which genes are responsible for both as i've had three misscarriages and wonder if i'm responsible for my child's rett syndrome.
  • LeanneChesser May 26, 2010 @ 8:50 pm | delete
    Hi, Juli. Here's a quote from the Rett Syndrome article I referred to in the page: "Although Rett syndrome is a genetic disorder, less than 1 percent of recorded cases are inherited or passed from one generation to the next. Most cases are spontaneous, which means the mutation occurs randomly." So, there are similarities in genetics between mirror writing and Rett Syndrome, but Rett Syndrome is not passed on from parents to children in almost all cases.
  • anna May 21, 2010 @ 10:35 pm | delete
    I am so glad I'm not the only one! I mirror write and find it much more natural to me than writing 'fowards'. Interestingly when I mirror write, I have a distinctive hand writing style, yet when I write forwards it varies enormously and I have no one style. I really want to know what is wired differently in my brain because when people have seen and then tried to write that way themselves they can only do it a letter at a time thinking carefully about it whereas to me it's easier than writing forwards. It's as weird to me that most people can't do it as it is to them that I do. It is like finding out everyone else can only walk round a circle one way, they can't turn round and walk the other way or something.
  • LeanneChesser May 22, 2010 @ 6:30 am | delete
    I just added a comment to the post below and it's relevant here too. I said that it's interesting that so many of us thought we were alone, but feel better now that we've discovered others who can mirror write as well. I also said that at this point it seems that the most that can be said is that it's genetic and that we may have two language centers in our brains (rather than the usual one) that may be connected. It will be nice if the researchers can uncover more about it.
  • TERRY ALLEN May 20, 2010 @ 10:31 pm | delete
    I TOO AM RIGHT HANDED AND MIRROR WRITE WITH MY LEFT. ONE DAY IN GRADE SCHOOL I TRYED TO WRITE SOMETHING WITH MY LEFT HAND WHEN I LOOKED AT IT I COULD NOT READ IT. AFTER A WHILE IT DAWNED ON ME IT WAS INFACT PERFICTLY BACKWARDS.BEEN DOING IT NOW FOR ABOUT 55 YEARS. UNTIL THE INTERNET CAME ABOUT A THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE. I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS A NUROLOGIC DEFICT.GUESS NOT A.
  • LeanneChesser May 22, 2010 @ 6:27 am | delete
    It's really interesting to see all the people who can mirror write too. It's also interesting to hear that so many of us thought that we were the only ones and that we're comforted to find out that we're not! No - - it's not a neurological deficit, just something different. It would be nice to have more clarity on the cause, for sure. At this point it seems that the most that can be said is that it's genetic and that we may have two language centers in our brains (rather than the usual one) that may be connected.
  • theraggededge May 20, 2010 @ 3:53 am | delete
    Yes, I can do it with my left hand. I used to practise writing with my left hand and it would do mirror writing of it's own accord. Interesting lens. Have left you a backwardly blessing :-)
  • Verna May 14, 2010 @ 8:19 am | delete
    During boring college lectures, I wrote backwards, upside down, and upside down and backwards at the same time. I hadn't thought of it in years, but not long ago tried again. The combo is rusty, otherwise about the same. From that Australian doctor's article, the ability(?) is still a mystery.
  • Norma_Budden May 13, 2010 @ 10:28 pm | delete
    One more thing: I don't need to hold mirror written notes up to a mirror or to the light; I can read them just as they are, just as I can read with a book upside-down.
  • LeanneChesser May 14, 2010 @ 5:30 am | delete
    I can read mirror writing as it is as well. It's interesting that we have these traits in common!
  • Norma_Budden May 13, 2010 @ 9:54 pm | delete
    I've been able to do this since I can remember, though I didn't know there was a name associated with it. Furthermore, though I normally write with my right hand, I am ambidextrous and find it easier to mirror write with my left hand. Have I tried doing both at once? You got it...and it is a lot of fun! Thanks for introducing me to the actual name of this ability and for educating me about some of the facts surrounding it.
  • LynxLee May 12, 2010 @ 11:40 am | delete
    Wow, that is rather scary in some ways.. but pretty impressive.. especially writing with both hands and mirrored..
  • Adrian_T_Brown May 6, 2010 @ 3:04 am | delete
    Well, I have never heard of mirror writing before. It is facinating to say the least.
    I thought My personal journey was intriguing, but mirror writing takes the cake.
  • Okefenokee Apr 18, 2010 @ 8:25 pm | delete
    I am able to write normally with my right hand, and I am also able to wirte in reverse with my right hand. I am also able to wirte in reverse with my left hand. I cannot write forward with my left hand because it gets all inky and smudges the ink because it is dragged across the words and looks really sloppy. I never really taught myself to write forward in my left hand because of that. However, with my right hand this is not the case because I hold the knuckle of my pinkie below the line naturally.

    I was originally right-handed. In fourth grade I studied about Leonardo Da Vinci who was an artist who wrote his studies in mirror wirting. I thought it was really cool, and I forced myself to write backward with my right hand. I bought a small notebook at AC Moor and would make little secret highly detailed drawings of machinery, and I would write how they would work on the seperate page all in reverse every day.

    In seventh grade I wanted to teach myself to write with my left hand, but I found it was extremely hard to write forward and I had a stain on the knuckle of my pinkie finger from the ink and the lead that got dragged on to it from the lines of writing it was being dragged across. So, I thought, why don't I teach myself to be ambidexterous, except to write reverse with my left hand and forward with my right?

    In my thumbnail sketch notebook, I wrote the sentence "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" a dozen times a day and I got the hang of writing with my left hand in reverse within a couple weeks.
  • Christine Newman "Tink" Apr 15, 2010 @ 3:15 pm | delete
    This was a great article. I have known I had the mirror writing gene since I was in 4th grade. Interestingly, I am one of the rare right-handers that mirror write with their left hand. I have heard that children have this gene more pronounced than adults. I think logically like an engineer, but do things like an artist. I am good at music, art, and languages. I also have synaethesia where sounds have colors and so do numbers when they are next to each other.
  • Christine Newman "Tink" Apr 15, 2010 @ 3:15 pm | delete
    This was a great article. I have known I had the mirror writing gene since I was in 4th grade. Interestingly, I am one of the rare right-handers that mirror write with their left hand. I have heard that children have this gene more pronounced than adults. I think logically like an engineer, but do things like an artist. I am good at music, art, and languages. I also have synaethesia where sounds have colors and so do numbers when they are next to each other.
  • Airinka Apr 10, 2010 @ 1:36 am | delete
    Mirror writing looks like impossible thing ;)! Great!
  • Debbie Brennan Apr 1, 2010 @ 2:58 pm | delete
    Just happened upon your most interesting lens:) I am a mirror writer and have been so since 6th grade. I found out through my grandmother that her sister could also do this "strange behavior". My Grandma said, write something!!!! She was astounded that I could do it also, as no one knew about my Aunts abilities. She guessed it was genetic. I used my skill to write private notes to people at work. Only the recipient knew to hold it up to the light "backwards" or to hold up to a mirror. Nice to see I'm not alone.
  • stacy_mcdaniel Mar 28, 2010 @ 9:06 pm | delete
    Cool Lens! I haven't heard of this before. Looks neat.
  • Danella Mar 22, 2010 @ 6:13 pm | delete
    I can mirror write with both hands. When I as a child I wrote alternating sentences, left to right transitioning into right to left, then back again. I can also write upside down and sideways with both hands, and upside down and backwards with both hands. It's a lot easier with my right hand though (my dominant hand). I am curious to know whether or not there is an increased incidence of cross-dominance in people who can mirror write? I write with my right hand, but eat with my left, and my left eye is dominant.
  • LeanneChesser May 14, 2010 @ 5:28 am | delete
    I wouldn't be surprised if there's increased cross-dominance. I also write with my right and eat with my left.
  • Rashel Mar 11, 2010 @ 9:32 pm | delete
    I'm not alone after all! I've been exclusively journalling backwards for nearly 10 years, and I've always been able to write backwards. :)
  • LeanneChesser May 14, 2010 @ 5:25 am | delete
    Very cool!
  • KarenTBTEN Mar 11, 2010 @ 3:09 am | delete
    I didn't know there was a name for it. What I do isn't exactly the same as in what's depicted in the video, but similar. I can write with my right hand and mirror write with my left hand -- they don't converge, but go off in separate directions.

    My right hand is more adept at holding a pencil but give me finger paints, and then I'm not particularly right handed -- my right hand just wants to go right and my left wants to go left. I'm wondering if the genetics might be different with divergence than convergence?
  • LeanneChesser Mar 11, 2010 @ 6:23 pm | delete
    I do the convergence thing, and I can mirror write with both hands, but mostly I just mirror write with my right hand (moving left across the page). So, I don't think there's a difference in genetics . . . mirror writing is about writing in mirror image and not so much about using both hands in opposite directions or converging.

    It's cool, though, that your hands go in opposite directions. I going to have to try that!
  • crosscreations Mar 10, 2010 @ 10:16 am | delete
    This is really interesting and no - never really knew much about mirror writing. One of my sons kept switching hands when he was tiny, hard to tell whether a leftie or a rightie. Turns out he is right dominant for writing (which is very hard for him) but left dominant for sports. He never did master cursive writing, just could not handle it .

    When we begin to demystify brain functions, sometimes we find that incredible levels of intelligence are hidden underneath what were considered deficiencies. daVinci and Einstein are perfect examples.
  • DeenaSeraphina Mar 6, 2010 @ 7:50 am | delete
    I love mirror writing! I drifted upon your story and love it. Thx for sharing! I have a light case of synesthesia...my letters have colors and my words sing. I am also a visual artist.
  • luvmyludwig Mar 2, 2010 @ 10:22 am | delete
    this is really cool! I started writing like that when I was in middle school instead of doodling when doodling got old. I also wrote a couple letters like that too. I'm not too fast, but I can do it. Interesting topic!
  • Wordwinder Mar 2, 2010 @ 5:58 am | delete
    It is fascinating to know and understand the different ways that our brains can function. Very interesting theme for a lens.
  • Sinistrina Mar 1, 2010 @ 9:23 am | delete
    I am a lefty (strongly left hand dominant) and love mirror-writing! I can also do the trick where I mirror write with my left hand whilst writing normally with my right hand - I find it easy to do but my right hand handwriting is so poor that I can hardly class it as a party trick! I am interested to hear about similarities with synaesthesia. I wouldn't class myself as a synaesthete but I have had some experiences that have made me wonder if there is a synaesthetic spectrum of some kind. Like occasionally when I listen to music I 'see' shapes and colours but this is not every time. Sometimes when I'm thinking I also 'see' my thoughts in colourful script flowing along but again this isn't a constant experience. This stuff really fascinates me. :-)
  • hlkljgk Feb 21, 2010 @ 3:08 pm | delete
    very cool.
  • Jewelsofawe Feb 11, 2010 @ 6:06 pm | delete
    Interesting concept. I can read what you wrote pretty easily so I guess I can mirror read... Not sure if I can mirror write. I have never tried. Blessed!
  • Kylyssa Feb 11, 2010 @ 10:42 am | delete
    I forgot to mention that I see what I'm going to write before I put pencil to paper and I really just trace the mental image so I don't know if it's the same thing, really.
  • Kylyssa Feb 11, 2010 @ 10:40 am | delete
    I can mirror write. I am also autistic and experience synaesthesia. I was born ambidextrous with a slight leaning toward left-handedness but nerve damage to my left hand has left me right-handed. I used to be able to write neatly in both directions at once - either forward with my right hand and mirrored with my left or vice-versa. Now my left hand can barely hold a pencil but I can write neatly in either direction with my right hand. I can still write sloppily in either direction with my left hand, though, and writing with both hands at the same time in opposite directions is actually easier for me than writing in a single direction if I mirror write.

    I didn't know it was called mirror writing until fairly recently and I thought it was something everyone could do as well.
  • scooby do whop Feb 5, 2010 @ 6:15 pm | delete
    I am left-hand dominate but I can write with both hands at the same time. my left hand creates the mirror image and my right can be read normally. I love showing it to people because they're so amazed. It's interesting to see other mirror writers post their experiences.
  • Kendra Feb 3, 2010 @ 5:56 pm | delete
    I'm a mirror-writer as well, and right-handed. I am somewhat ambidextrous (I can write legibly with my left hand, but not mirror-writing; as a child in school I played softballl either right or left-handed depending on if I was batting or catching). I first started mirror-writing in elementary school on the bus, writing words in the fogged-up windows so that they were visible to persons outside the bus. The other kids would often ask me to do this for their own amusement, and I thought nothing of it. I hadn't thought of it in years, until I read an article on Leonardo DaVinci the other day and decided to try mirror-writing with my right hand. To my total surprise, I was able to do it, and well (I'd forgotten all about doing it on the bus). I am not a synaesthetic, but my former psychiatric counselor believes I have sensory integration issues (possibly SID), and Asperger's syndrome (she wanted me to see a specialist to be diagnosed but my insurance ran out). I also have Major Depressive Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, and a slew of other "issues."
  • LoKackl Feb 3, 2010 @ 3:25 pm | delete
    Never heard of mirrorwriting! I'll try it..
  • Shr Feb 2, 2010 @ 1:37 am | delete
    Hi.. I can mirror write too..I'm right-handed and can do mirror writing with both hands..but i'm good with right hand.. I can also write upside down...

    Initially when i had learnt writing I first actually wrote mirror letters only amd my mother had to teach me the difference using a mirror.. I picked the correct way quite fast... So i guess I was not dyslexic..

    Nice to c that so many people can do this..and so many people have thought of googling it in Jan 2010..
    I'd be interested to know if Mirror writing has any advantage..I mean those who can do it do they have some extra skill because of that?
  • BarbRad Feb 2, 2010 @ 12:21 am | delete
    I don't think I had head of it, but you taught me enough so that I got 100% on your quiz without looking back. Great lens.
  • EverythingMouse Feb 1, 2010 @ 6:25 pm | delete
    I had never heard of this - certainly an interesting topic
  • tzip Jan 29, 2010 @ 11:13 am | delete
    Hi, I'm a mirror writer, in high school I wrote notes in mirror writing when bored.
    However I am right-handed, though I can also write with my left pretty well. I used to do the left and write hand writing together and try to do both in one direction, right to left and then left to right, it was entertaining.
    My parents spoke one language to me until I was one, then switched to another language entirely, so I was delayed in speaking. I wonder if that has to do with it.
    My mother is somewhat ambidextrous too, could be it's connected.
    I'd be interested in finding out more about this, I do tend to take things literally and always wondered if I have some kind of verbal disability. (My relatives are all extremely linguisticlaly gifted, but not me.)
  • paschar Jan 29, 2010 @ 12:16 pm | delete
    re: writing in both directions,it sounds like you are explaining a text style used by the greeks about 3.600 years ago known as Boustrophedon, as to the linguistics, there is a form of dyslexia known as aphsia dyslexia ,involving the speech center of the brain. this also relates to what and how we learn things as a child .paschar / stephenwaner@yahoo.com
  • tzip Jan 31, 2010 @ 2:44 pm | delete
    I looked up boustrophedon, yes I did that also but what I meant was writing mirror writing with both hands at once, alternating with normal writing with both hands at once. Writing mirror writing with one hand and normal with the other was less interesting to me than doing it at the same time.
    I looked up aphasia dyslexia on google and didn't find anything, could you please direct me? I know that language comes harder to me than it should, and I have much better visual understanding than auditory. I also have trouble with organizing words into sentences and speak English (the only language I am fluent in) as if it were a foreign language to me. I would like to know if this could be caused by my early language experiences and if I can do anything to improrve it.
  • LeanneChesser Jan 31, 2010 @ 3:18 pm | delete
    Hi, tzip. Thanks for visiting my page on mirror writing! Like you, I'm right handed and can write pretty well with my left hand. I can mirror write with both hands as well. Mirror writing is not usually associated with any disorders. Sometimes, like in the case of paschar (the visitor who commented on your post) and others, it is a form of dyslexia. In those cases, the individuals see things in mirror image all the time. As well, there are many different types of dyslexia. But my point is that it doesn't mean there's anything "wrong" just because you can mirror write. If you have concerns about your speech and language due to the other things you mentioned, I recommend that you see a medical professional who can advise you (e.g. your physician or a speech language pathologist). Here, I can only point you in the direction of resources that may or may not be of help to you. One site on aphasia is http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/aphasia.htm and a site that describes the types of dyslexia is http://www.understanding-learning-disabilities.com/types-of-dyslexia.html. But . . . I strongly advise you not to make any determinations yourself through online research. See someone who is trained and certified in this area.
  • tzip Jan 31, 2010 @ 4:35 pm | delete
    Thanks, Leanne. You are right and I would definitely go to a professional if this caused me major problems, but I have mostly been able to compensate. However since the research said that people who mirror write have atypical language centers, I was wondering if that would be connected and if others here had experiences dealing with that, if they are mirror writers who have similar language issues. But like you said, it does not seem to be connected.
  • LeanneChesser Jan 31, 2010 @ 4:08 pm | delete
    Here's another site that paschar let me know about: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/#. It's got an alphabetical listing of disorders with their descriptions.
  • paschar Jan 31, 2010 @ 3:27 pm | delete
    one`s speech will only improve with practice and phonics lessons have worked for me in the past, now in early childhood we learn how to speak a certain way due to exposure ,thus ones brain programs it that way, however you can learn a new way of pronouncing words via phonics, for example , my natural accent is oklahoman and sometimes I pronounce the word FIRE as FAR and the word There as Thar as if to say (Thars a Far over Thar) so you see it`s all a matter of accent control, as for aphasia, this is a condition that affects the speech centers of the brain, so we suggest just looking up the one word instead of both at the same time , I know of the three main types of dyslexia of which there are many offshoot branches of each and speech is one of them, and investment in phonics tapes may help you. paschar
  • paschar Jan 31, 2010 @ 4:29 pm | delete
    try looking up the medical term Dysphonetic Dyslexia
  • Jen Jan 15, 2010 @ 12:15 pm | delete
    Hi! I'm also a mirror writer when I write with my left hand - I knew not everyone could do it but have only thought of googling it today and only just realised how rare it apparently is! I was interested to find out that it is also rare to be able to read it and tested myself on the above examples (I have only ever read my own mirror writing) and I can certainly read it easily enough. Also I have heard of a ceertain type of synaesthesia before but googled it properly just now and realised that I probably have some form of it as I have always associated the days of the week and months of the year with personalities and colours - how bizarre is all this. I can't believe you have only just tried the ambidextrous trick too - I find it the most natural thing to pick up pens with both hands and write together, but I never do it as it achieves no purpose! Anyway, I am fascinated to find out more about this and might start a facebook group if there isn't one already - see how many other mirror writers there are out there. Thanks for the page!
  • paschar Jan 15, 2010 @ 4:06 pm | delete
    well at least i`m not alone Q: give this a shot , do a google search KW Tag strephosymbolia paschar on dyslexia you will find that reading & writing in the mirror image is not all that rare anymore . good hunting Jen from paschar
  • LeanneChesser Jan 15, 2010 @ 6:49 pm | delete
    That's interesting that you're finding more people with Stephosymbolia and I'm glad you're helping people with this disorder. I can read the mirror image (including your text example online) but I don't see words/items/letters in that format on a regular basis. It sounds like people with Strephosymbolia always see things in mirror image. Is that correct? What I'm talking about on this page is the ability to write (and read) in mirror image, but not a disorder where it hinders reading/learning. It must be very difficult for you and others who have the actual form of dyslexia (and I apologize for the security words - I have no control over those so I can't change them).
  • paschar Jan 16, 2010 @ 5:10 am | delete
    thats correct & the rest of the world is just as backwards,don`t worry about the security words as my computer system will sound them out for me if push comes to shove , i`m hosted on another site as well www.wikihow.com with an article i wrote about how to install a planar mirror image card , it`s the one that makes it possible for me to read my screen as if normal and since you can read mirrored text it wouldn`t be a problem for you either , hey just for fun look up this key word on the web , you may find it interesting BOUSTROPHEDON which is a text format used by the greeks about 3.600 years ago . i use it with a few of my students just to test them to see how far along they have come in their reading skills , i figure if it helps me , it will help them , just a little trivia fact, the former pres George W. Bush also has strephosymbolia , the same as his brother and father , i learned this when he was doing his first broadcast on the 9/11 tower attack when he had the security agent turn the tetepromter around so he could read it . i sometimes wonder how he ran the country , oh well , paschar on dyslexia aka professor S.D.Waner this one is funny wootlubber woot in german means would
  • writernewbie Jan 14, 2010 @ 12:34 am | delete
    Fascinating! (And a little creepy, too..haha) I've heard something about this before, but never really knew what it was all about. It's amazing that you can do this! I'm left-handed, but do not have this unique ability. Great lens!
  • OhMe Jan 13, 2010 @ 10:54 pm | delete
    Oh me! Oh my! I sure don't have what is needed to be a Mirror Writer but this is so interesting. I aced the quiz so I did pay attention. Super lens and very educational. I learned a lot about Mirror Writing. Thank you.
  • Lexie Jan 12, 2010 @ 12:30 am | delete
    I can mirror write too. :) I don't think I'm dyslexic though...I mean, sometimes I accidentally transpose letters in normal writing and transpose words in normal speech, but I don't ever accidentally write a letter backwards. And I never had those problems as a child (or anyway, if I am, it's not enough to draw anyone's attention). The cursive, however, I'm slower with, and always was. (Both forwards and backwards lol) I think I was bored in school (middle or high, don't remember) and decided to try writing with my left hand (apparently I'm the rare right-handed mirror writer, at least I prefer my right hand.) but in order to figure out how, I had to write backwards with my right hand first. Don't know why, but anyway, it worked. I find that writing with my left hand comes more easily after I've written it backwards with my right.
    I kind of thought everyone could do this too...really though, if you practice enough, couldn't you?
  • LeanneChesser Jan 12, 2010 @ 7:01 am | delete
    Hi, Lexie. I'm not sure if people could do it if they practice. For me, I didn't have to practice. I could just do it naturally. I'm also right-handed (although I use my left hand for a lot of things and wonder if I actually "should have been" left-handed).
  • LeanneChesser Jan 12, 2010 @ 7:04 am | delete
    I just wanted to add that I'm also not dyslexic. The form of dyslexia called strephosymbolia is something different (with similarities) than what I'm speaking of here.
  • Millertime Jan 10, 2010 @ 5:05 pm | delete
    Very interesting. I didn't even know this existed. Pretty neat you can do it.
  • HorseAndPony Jan 8, 2010 @ 8:30 pm | delete
    This was fun. I had no idea. Congratulations on becoming a Giant Squid and Angel! Thank you for the special visit to my lens.
  • jgelien Jan 8, 2010 @ 12:13 am | delete
    That is a really cool talent you have. When I was a kid I liked to write words and sentences in cursive backwards only they weren't mirrored, just written from right to left instead of left to right. I did it really fast and it was fun but I don't think there's a name for it. Great lens. 5*
  • paschar Jan 8, 2010 @ 10:29 pm | delete
    the reading and writing backwards disorder is called strephosymbolia (the medical term) for a form of dyslexia (makes it a real problem to get into colledge) reading the security words at this site is no fun either just to get a comment posted . paschar on dyslexia
  • lexiwords Jan 6, 2010 @ 3:44 pm | delete
    I do occupational therapy with a 2nd grader who mirror writes naturally. Although it is contrary to what we're suppose to be doing I enjoy it and have informed her that the great Leonardo was also a practitioner of mirror writing.
  • lasertek Jan 5, 2010 @ 7:36 pm | delete
    You have one rare talent. I've seen one friend who knows how to do this but I never knew that it is called Mirror writing. I will try to learn this and then teach my kids. They will surely enjoy this. 5*

    Hope you could visit my lenses and this fb page. Thanks
  • dagsmith Jan 1, 2010 @ 11:55 am | delete
    Intriguing lens! My daughter can do this with visual images - but not words. For example she can simultaneously draw two half circles and make a perfect circle. Often times she will create a picture drawing at the same time with each hand - but it never translated into mirror writing. Thanks for this lens! 5**** Squidoo Blessing.
  • kimmanleyort Jan 1, 2010 @ 9:05 am | delete
    Another great lens, Leanne. I have no doubt you will make Giant. This was fascinating. I have vague memories of being able to do this as a kid but don't think I could now. I am left-handed and somewhat ambidextrous, though, so I should give it a try.
  • paschar Dec 18, 2009 @ 12:04 am | delete
    we do this 24/7 , we are currently working on our squidoo profile under the same user name we post all over the WWW ,facebook & google. as paschar . (it means vision) but the medical term is called strephosymbolia (translation means Twisted Symbols) in my case everything is still backwards . it is a form of dyslexia @ one time thought to be rare (but it`s not) in our web classroom which is prevy to those who truly have the gift , we teach them how to convert a computer system to the range of vision required to view text as if normal to them. we ask no fee because the technology alone will cost a lot more than most can imagine. our own prototype system with all it`s upgrades has a round figure of $26.000.00 , paschar on dyslexia
  • paschar Dec 17, 2009 @ 9:35 pm | delete
    we are known as paschar on the WWW . the type of mirror writing topic in this lens is very common with those who have no other way to precieve the world, the condition in medical terms is called Strephosymbolia which translates to Twisted Symbols , it is a form of dyslexia where all objects appear as if viewed in a mirror . we have had this condition since 1990 & since then we have had to invest in a computer that inverts the desktop screen (horizontal backwards) as if to those with standard/normal vision would see it as if in a mirror ($26.000.00 Later)reading became normal again if one wishes to find out more , we are all over the WWW or just google search paschar on dyslexia. renaW .D nehpetS aka rahcsaP (we know the fonts are all wrong) just like on the google mirror , who thinks up the secureity words anyway ? eggs don`t have toes.
  • Tobbie Nov 27, 2009 @ 5:47 am | delete
    I learned something new today and it's only early yet...Great lens!
  • Kirsty McCallum Nov 10, 2009 @ 3:55 pm | delete
    My sister came through and showed me and i now relise i can mirror write. Surely more than 1 in 6500 people can do it, i mean i personally did not find it hard atall but maybe thats only because i can do it. I intend to try it out with some of my friend tomorrow. See how they get on. Will they be able to do it?
  • Gwen Nov 8, 2009 @ 10:20 am | delete
    I can mirror write as well as inverted and ambidextrous writing. I found out by accident when I was in 2nd or 3rd Grade when I had my left arm in a cast for two weeks ( I am left handed). I just started writing with my right hand and it was very hard to write normally but very easy to write in mirror image. I can do it ever since. My grandfather was able to do it too and he was left-handed as well. It is also very easy to read as well as to read upside down which comes in very handy as a teacher...
  • Rae Nov 5, 2009 @ 3:59 pm | delete
    Thanks for this! I first had a go at writing mirror imaged when I was at school and bored in class and found that I could do it really easily. It came just as naturally as writing forwards! I'm right handed so it's interesting to read that most people who can do this are lefties. I just found out recently that my great grandfather could do this too so it seems to be a genetic thing and i'm proud of that :-)
  • LeanneChesser Nov 1, 2009 @ 2:16 pm | in reply to Peter P | delete
    Very interesting! Sophia sounds similar to me (even about the puzzles). It's amazing that she already knows she can do it at age 5!
  • Peter P Nov 1, 2009 @ 1:59 pm | delete
    My grand daughter Sophia ( age 5 years old ) can write with both hands ( ambidextrous ) her right hand writes the normal left to right and her left hand writes right to left in a mirror image . Pretty weird and puzzling. She can also do intricate puzzles quickly and has been doing them since she was 2 years old. I guess she sees things in a different way than most people ???
  • KM9999999 Oct 30, 2009 @ 10:57 pm | delete
    My mother could write upside down and do it fairly quickly. I've never seen anyone do this, though.
  • arielred Jan 17, 2010 @ 5:47 pm | delete
    Very cool... I can do this as well as mirror write... I hadn't seen anyone else that could do this... I mirror write... write upside down(can read it simply if you turn the paper 180 degrees) and upside down backwards (this is mirror writing upside down basically)... and I am a righty and not dyslexic... nice to know that my "hidden talent" is shared with others
  • GrowWear Oct 23, 2009 @ 11:29 pm | delete
    Absolutely fascinating. Mirror writing. Wow!
  • LeanneChesser Sep 26, 2009 @ 10:57 am | delete
    Hi Heather,

    Thanks for your comments - they're also very interesting. I naturally gravitate to doing things left-handed and was considered "ambidextrous" as a child. I write right-handed though . . . not sure if I was strongly moved in that direction or not, although I always wondered. It's interesting that you mirror-write easily with your left hand, but struggle with regular writing with your left hand.
  • Heather426 Sep 26, 2009 @ 10:50 am | delete
    very interesting. I can do this too, and was born left handed but forced to write with my right hand in school because there were no more left handed desks available. I write mirror wise with my left hand very quickly, but regular writing with my left hand is difficult, however I do everything else with my left hand.

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LeanneChesser

Hi! I'm Leanne Chesser & I'm a life coach & business owner.
I'm a mom of 4 kids, aged 15, 19, 21 & 22, although some aren't "kids" anymore! I'm also... more »

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