Abstract: A real-time electronic messaging system, and related method, employs a remote client device with a handwriting client component that sets up a graphical data capture area in the device visual interface and employs a graphical input device for allowing a sender to input a handwritten or handdrawn message. The handwriting client component captures the handwritten or handdrawn input, converts it to an electronic message, and sends it online to a recipient. The remote client device is connected online via a network to a real-time messaging server which sends the message to the remote client device for the recipient. In preferred versions, the remote client device can be a wireless PDA, always-on pager or messaging device, or mobile phone with SMS or EMS service.