Of all the books I've read on calligraphy, no two books agree on the "correct" way to pen the Italic cursive alphabet. That's because the penmanship will be as distinctive as its author, as it should be. Your signature is unique!

You can pen the lowercase letter "a" in one, two, or three strokes, although it will appear slightly different with each method. (See those drawings showing the pen stroke sequence, above? There's a name for that: "ductus.")

If the instrument moves over the surface smoothly in all directions, or you are just writing a lengthy letter to your love, you may find that the one-stroke method works fine for you. If, because of a rougher surface, pushing your pen is harder than pulling it, you may opt for several strokes. However, if you are just starting out, you'll do well to practice the standard strokes outlined on each letter's page. Expert calligraphers agree that getting a handle on the basic stroke order is essential.