Comments on: Speedwriting for the Rest of Us

By: Karthick

Karthick — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 12:39:08 +0000

I loved this tutorial steve! thank you so much for putting this up, I do find myself loving to write on paper and pen even though i am pretty sure i type so much faster. But this is a welcome relief to know that with enough practice i can rival both. Cheers.

By: fayyaz

fayyaz — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:22:50 +0000

it is good effort,i appreciate it

By: Lenny

Lenny — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 14:28:22 +0000

If you are interested to increase your writing/typing speed take a look at: http://www.easyscript.com.

Introduced in 1990 EasyScript can be potentially learned quickly and reduce considerably volume of memorization.

ComputerScript software allows entering EasyScript abbreviations into computer by conventional keyboard and expanding to readable text.

By: BloomBurst - The Vox Pop Design Blog » Blog Archive » Wasatch Thought Watch: Week of 2008-06-09

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 06:05:49 +0000

[...] Steve Osborne, Speedwriting for the Rest of Us. There are still some tasks for which the tactile feedback of scribbles on a page remain superior [...]

By: Steve Osborne

Steve Osborne — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:24:46 +0000

Soozi Q, thanks for the suggestion. I looked into learning real shorthand, but it seemed daunting. Sounds like you picked it up quite easily. How long did it take you? I would love to be able to handwrite at 60 words per minute.

By: Soozi Q

Soozi Q — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:53:18 +0000

If you’re interested in making speedy notes, I highly recommend taking an ‘old-school’ shorthand course if you have the opportunity. I did a short Teeline shorthand course because it was offered free at my workplace - I achieved speeds of 60 w.p.m (as fast as good touch-typing) and although I don’t practise shorthand every day (like a journalist or court reporter might), I still use many of the ‘outlines’ when taking notes in meetings, phone messages, jottings, or even shopping lists.
In fact, I have integrated it so much into my writing that I have to remember not to use outlines when writing postcards etc.
Shorthand is also handy for when you want to write ’secret’ jottings that you don’t want someone looking over your shoulder to be able to read!

Learning Teeline (or Pitman) is also a fantastic mental workout - it’s magical to watch the transition from having to concentrate very hard, to a few months later when the outlines just seem to flow out of your pen.

By: Andreas

Andreas — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:40:41 +0000

Cool list - I wish there would be such a list for German language…

By: Monday Morning Link Roundup for 7.14.08 | PureBlogging

Monday Morning Link Roundup for 7.14.08 | PureBlogging — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:17:44 +0000

[...] Writers’ Bag offers a cool tutorial on speed writing. As someone who keeps a moleskine handy at all times, I think I’m going to try this, since my [...]

By: John DM

John DM — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:34:29 +0000

You write very neatly, Steve. I, however, have spent too many years scribbling madly in notebooks as a reporter so neatness is long gone. I’ve used a variation of speedwriting for almost 40 years and learned one lesson: Fill in the missing letters quickly while context is still fresh. Otherwise, it will be by guess and by golly.

Of course, if I only need to write down the important things a politician says, I can use stone and chisel. ;^)