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Touch Writing: How to quicken your manual copying skills ten-fold!

Bradley Knirnschild, a reader of this website, wrote in to share a technique he has developed that is perfect for students of all ages who want to learn how to speed up their manual copying skills.

You know how it is when you are in a class and the teacher or lecturer is putting notes up on the white board, screen or blackboard. You have to keep looking down at your paper to write your notes. When you look up again, you have to re-find your place and sometimes the notes have gone, because the teacher has moved on to the next part of their talk or lecture. It can be so frustrating.

With Bradley's technique, you build your sensory acuity so that you always know where you are on the page, without having to look down. You can remain looking up, following everything that the lecturer is saying or doing on the board. A great skill to have in school or in business meetings!

This is the handwriting equivalent of touch typing...

Here's what Bradley wrote to me:

Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2009 18:57:41 -0800
From: Bradley
To: wily[at}wilywalnut.com
Subject: An idea from me to you.

Hi Wily,

I know that this probably does not happen that often, but I have an idea for you. Many people in school and work waste their time trying to write what is on a board as quickly as possible, but I propose a solution that will quicken their manual copying skills ten-fold! What if people could both write what is on a board while looking at it? Well we can, it just takes a lot of practice. Here are the steps to learning this technique:
 
1.) Look at the first line on your notebook paper, now take your eyes away from it and look ahead of you and try to write a sentence in either print or script/cursive (Which ever is your best) as straight as you can, try to write the sentence as if you are looking at the paper, but you are not. Visualize it and make the words come to life on the paper.
 
2.) Next you want to write the same sentence below the one you just wrote, but this time look at the paper as you write the sentence.
 
3.) Now you want to compare the two sentences, do you the difference?
 
4.) Now write without looking at the page a different sentence below them, then compare it with the one that you wrote while looking at the paper.
 
5.) Keep writing sentences without looking at the paper and try to make it exactly like the one sentence you wrote when you were looking at the paper.
 
6.) Once you have done this and it looks just like the sentence that you wrote while looking at the paper you may now judge the different in width and length of the paper, that way you can write on the next line without looking at the paper, try to make little tick marks from one line to the next. Do this until each tick for ten ticks is exactly on the line.
 
7.) Now try to write a paragraph on paper, but you may only look at the first line of the paper once, then write another paragraph, then another. Write three paragraphs a day, everyday for a year, then you may probably master this technique, but it all depends on the person.
 
8.) Now that you have mastered this technique your writing effiency will increase ten-fold!
 
Thank you for your time, patience, and all of the techniques that you have sent me so far, and the ones you will send me in the future.
 
Sincerely:

Bradley Knirnschild.

Here's my reply:

On Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 2:21 PM, Wily Walnut wrote:

Hi Bradley,
 
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this idea with me.
 
I really like the process you have developed for building your awareness of where you are on the page, so that you can write clearly, legibly and correctly without looking down. This is a valuable skill to have for students of all ages.

It's the handwriting equivalent of moving from a hunt and peck form of typing to being able to touch type without looking at the keys. Let's call it Touch Writing.
 
What I also admire is your creative thought process to push the boundaries of what we think is possible.
 
This is the key to creative living. To use your mind to improve and innovate and make things even better.
 
May I have your permission to re-publish it on my website under the reader's letters/questions section so that it may serve others?
 
Thank you again!

Wishing you the Best of the Best,
Wily

And here Bradley replies:

Re: An idea from me to you.‏
From:  Bradley Knirnschild
Sent: 04 January 2009 23:36:55
To:  Wily Walnut

Yes you may, I would be glad to share my ideas with the world for the betterment of others,
thank you!
 
Sincerely:
Bradley Knirnschild

So, there you have it, Touch Writing, courtesy of Bradley Knirnschild. We hope it proves useful and valuable to you.

Wily Walnut is the headbrain at http://www.WilyWalnut.com   , your top resource for unleashing the genius within, becoming infinitely creative, intelligent and brilliant in all that you do!

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