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In this review article, we describe the network of brain regions involved in spelling, and in the motor aspects of handwriting and typing. This network is mostly lateralised in the left hemisphere. It contains regions such as the fusiform and inferior frontal gyri, which are systematically activated during spelling retrieval. Both regions have already been identified for their pivotal role in reading. At the motor level, the currently available data indicate that compared to control tasks involving motor sequences of equivalent complexity, handwriting and typing both specifically recruit the dorsal premotor cortex, the superior parietal cortex and the right cerebellum. After discussing the functional properties of each of these regions, we consider the possible interactions between spelling and motor control during writing.