I have a hard time getting nice writing on my cakes when I write free hand. Does anyone have any tips on writing on cakes, maybe some alternative ways besides free hand?
Wilton makes a type of press that you can press into the cake then trace. I think this might get you there. http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E30D8A1-475A-BAC0-5461563D81E0C0CF
make sure your icing is of thin consistency, lift your bag and tip well above the cake, but not too far. and most importantly move quick! this I learn't over trial and error. the slower and more precise you try to be the messier it is to print.
just bunches of practice is the best, good luck!
you'll get the hang of it 
I just bought these really cool letter presses called Stone Stamps made for lettering in steppin stones. I got them from Michaels and they had two styles, Traditional and Victorian. I saw someone use them on Food Network and wondered what they were and where they came from. I accidently came upon them the other day and was so excited.
I've used these on 2 cakes so far and I love the effect in fondant (on my baby shower cake). I think you could also use them to lightly imprint on bc and then go over it with icing. I've used the wilton letter stampers and pressed them into bc and written over them (on my toilet cake) and it worked well.
I've never tried free handing wording - cause I'm terriable at it.
Put your icing bag with icing in it in the microwave for a few seconds (make sure you use a coupler and just take the tip off before you put it in.) This makes the icing a bit thinner so that it is easier to work with. I had the hardest time writing until I started doing this.
2 tips I have:
1: whatever your cake icing is, use it to pipe the writing using a #3 tip(approx), then go over that with a colored icing or gel using a #2 or something smaller than the first writing. Any mistakes of the plain icing fade into thecaketop, and you can refine and perfect the writing with the color.
2# Break up your cursive. Pipe the Capital H, stop, make the ap, stop, py stop. Capital B then irth, stop, day, then the name. You are checking as you go to make sure your spacing and alignment are correct.
This is the first thing I learned to do when working at Basking robbins. The cakes were made, just needed the "happy Bday whomever" on them.
It just takes confidence, so practice once or twice on some wax paper then go for the cake.
I always use a toothpick to write my messages on my cakes. Then if it doesn't look good, I can smooth the icing and try again. I just find it easier to write with a toothpick than a piping bag. When I'm happy with it, I trace with piping bag and icing.
leta and SKL , i havent heard those before they will be going in my personal tip book. Im going to have to head to Michaels tommorow and find those stamps.
Ive been making royal letters and transfering them. It work well if your doing different fonts. I see they have instructionsfor royal letters in the recipies now.
this takes a bit more time but it's soooooo worth it. i print out my text using my computer, tape parchment paper over and trace my letters with royal icing. once it's dry, carefully place on cake. i do it 2 or 3 times just in case any break. this also allows you to use a variety of fun fonts. hope this helps 
To make sure you have a straight line is to not slant your writng the usual way slant the opposite way you are use to doing and youll find a much straighter line basiclly youll end up also with upright letters also when you are first learning don't be affraid to have your tip touching the cake. That was how I was taught until I had more control.
Hope this makes sense the way I explained it. Also don't have your cake on the counter its to high put it on a table so you are standing over it.
Two tips:
1. if you have a craft store in your area, see if they offer a calligraphy class. What you will learn is that the letters are not written, but drawn. Once you learn to 'draw' letters you will find it much easier to 'write' on cakes. Most letters are 'drawn' in two or more increments. It's much easier to control style, spacing, etc.
2. I just learned this myself on another board. To ensure that you are writing in a straight line: use a laser level. It is fantastic!! Just put the level on something that raises it to the surface level of your cake, then turn it on. You'll have a completely straight line across your cake. After I tried it and it worked, I bought a second one and created a 'space' in which to write. It really works!
The last time I wrote on a cake I printed a nice font off of the computer, poked holes in it with a pin and pressed it on top of the cake. The outline was hard to see to say the least, but good enought that it came out pretty good!
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