Shorthand Stenography Online Course Chapter 7 “Some Brief Hints to Speed Writing in Shorthand”

Some Brief Hints to Speed Writing

1. Buy a good fountain pen with a fine and flexible nib.

2. Use good clean ink, preferably blue-black.

3. Buy a good notebook with smooth lined paper.

4. Prepare the page for rapid turning over before beginning to take dictation.

5. Cultivate a small and neat style of shorthand writing.

6. Write lightly, with no digging into the paper.

7. Hold the pen lightly, not tightly.

8. Take the cap off from the pen in order to avoid weight.

9. Keep a spare pen/pencil handy.

10. Let the little finger of the writing hand rest lightly on the paper.

11. Concentrate when taking dictation.

12. Follow the sense of the matter dictated.

13. Practice drill exercises every day.

14. Memorize the Short Forms and Contractions.

15. Understand and apply the Principles of Phrasing.

16. Learn to spell correctly, whenever in doubt, consult dictionary.

17. Acquire a good knowledge of the rules of English Grammar.

18. Do plenty of transcriptions from your own shorthand notes.

19. Read plenty of printed shorthand matter.

20. Keep your general reading wide.

21. Write legible outlines when the speed is comfortably low. When the speed is high try to write the shorthand outlines for all the words dictated.

22. Read through the shorthand notes before transcribing.

23. Aim always at a higher speed.
24. Through persistence, achieve your aim.