I can recognize kanji perfectly fine when i see it but i cannot remember what they look like when I try to actually write them down. I usually try to remember what the stroke orders are but It doesn't work because I can't pinpoint what the strokes look like. For reference, this is what 猫 looked like when i tried to write it with only getting to see it once. Is there a better way to remember what a kanji looks like when writing ?
Knowing the radicals helps. Then it just becomes a question of where they go. Quick Draw has kanji levels but obviously it doesn't have all the kanji. Otherwise, I would say to try to remember kanji after not seeing them for a while, and then look to see what you got wrong.
Since practice (and more practice) is the way for your hand muscles to remember the kanji to memory, I'd suggest to create a custom kanji schedule and enable only the kanji writing/drawing vector on it. Then add the specific kanji characters that you want to practice to that schedule. Note that this vector is available only if you have renshuu pro, though.
For reference, this is what 猫 looked like when i tried to write it with only getting to see it once.
Wow! That’s impressive. I’m not being sarcastic either.
You’ve got a pretty good memory of what kanji looks like. Unfortunately, the task you’ve set up for yourself is nearly impossible. It’s nearly impossible because a kanji character is more than just a picture. All those lines mean things, and without learning those things and the rules they follow, you’re like a person who sets out to memorize the first ten thousand digits of pi by rote.
If you study 猫, you’ll see that it’s made up of two other characters: 犭 and 苗. Each of those characters have rules about the way they are written. Pay attention to the shape and direction of each stroke, where each stroke starts, and how the brush moves. The overall shape and balance of the character should also not be neglected.
Once you’ve mastered the pieces, then you’re ready to put them together. I remember cat as a pet (beast radical 犭) that meows (sounds like 苗).
There are some methods for learning the kanji that specifically build them from/break them down to reoccuring radicals like RTK or Wanikani. If I remember correctly these are especially supposed to help with this kind of problem (at least RTK) not just for remembering them while reading
Apart from the earlier suggestions, it also helps to remember the number of strokes. Also, practice writing them in squares/boxes for better alignment :D
