Welcome to the forum!
It looks like you might have been using the Pencil tool, in the way as you would use the Pen tool - clicking in a few places along the way to set nodes. But the Pencil tool is used differently. When you make the first click, press the mouse button, but don't release it. While you're holding it down, drag the mouse around. You'll see a thin green line, as you move the mouse around. But as soon as you release the mouse button, the green will turn black.
The other way to use the Pencil tool, is what created the problem for you. If you click once in the canvas (in the normal way, by pressing the mouse button and releasing it), move the mouse to another place, then click again, you will create a straight, 2-node path. So if you use the Pencil tool as if you were using the Pen tool, you'll get a series of straight segments, which is exactly what you got.
You could try again with the Pencil tool, and use in the first way I described. Or you could actually use the Pen tool, in the way you already know.
The title of your message indicates 2 problems with text. But you only described one problem. And it's not about text. So I'm a little confused about that. But hopefully my answer will get you back on track.
But let us know if you are still stuck on something
