Automatic writing is a form of divination, similar to a Ouija board, that involves a participant allowing their hand to be guided by spirits to write messages or answers to questions. Traditionally, automatic writing was associated with séances, where mediums attempted to communicate with spirits. It served as a means to convey messages from the deceased or spiritual entities.

Automatic writing can be carried out as a solo experiment using nothing more than a pen or pencil and some paper. Other practitioners choose to use an automatic writing planchette. These resemble their Ouija counterpart but are designed specifically for writing, and like a Ouija board, more than one person can join in. Typically made of wood or plastic, it includes rollers or wheels for smooth movement and features a hole for inserting a writing implement. This planchette is placed on a large sheet of blank paper on a flat surface. Participants...