Is it normal for your hand to hurt while writing?!

Is it normal for your hand to hurt while writing?

My hand hurts when I write. A lot. I mean, I wrote a single paragraph about five minutes ago and my hand is still a bit sensitive. My hand has always hurt like this when I write, and when I've had to write essays it felt like it was about to fall off (even with regular breaks). Maybe there is something wrong with the way I grip a pencil? Is there anything I can do?

It wasn't a really big problem in high school because I didn't have to write neatly, quickly, and for long periods of time very often, but with college coming up in a few months I'm worried it may become a problem.

It is not normal to hurt. Sounds like your technique is causing the problem. You should not grip the pen/pencil it should just rest in your hand. There is also an ideal angle to use. Watch an artist - it looks like they hardly use their hand at all because the effort comes from their shoulder. Thus, don't lean on your desk, sit upright and rest your pen in your hand at a 45 degree angle. Practice making a continuous wavy pattern on the paper until you learn to control the shapes you make from slight movements originating in your shoulder. Try searching the internet for lessons or courses. Good luck.