Last Updated on March 6, 2024
The validity of being a lightning fast typist is only apparent to people with a logical mindset. The rate at which you think is not going to change, so whether it takes you five minutes to write a sentence or five seconds, the rate at which you think is not going to change. If this is the case, then would it not be better to write quickly? The amount of time you waste writing is going to stifle your thoughts and ideas anyway. Whilst you are writing away you are not getting the chance to note down all of your ideas as they occur.
On the other hand, if you could read ten times quicker, then just think how quickly you would get your research done for your essays and college reviews. If you’re able to type quickly, then it stands to reason that you will be able to write your essays faster too.
Learn how to touch type
If you’re reading this because you want to type faster but you haven’t learnt how to touch type, then you need to learn right now. You may think that you’re set in your ways and will find it hard to touch type because you’e used to do it your way. But, you would be wrong, because touch-typing is very far removed from the way you are typing right now. Metaphorically, it’s as if you’re riding a scooter right now, and touch-typing is like riding a motorcycle.
Use voice recognition technology
Voice recognition technology will always be quicker than typing; possibly, because the flow of thought to word is less stunted and flows more easily. However, it will give you a lot of mistakes, such as typing “whey” instead of “way” or “there” instead of “their.” If you have a proofreader, then voice recognition is going to be the quickest method for you (let your proofreader figure out the wording mistakes).
Time yourself
People who simply tell you that it all comes down to practice don’t have your best interest at heart. What you need to do is measure your performance to see if you are improving or not, because practicing alone is not enough. Do this with a timer, where you time how long it takes to write a paragraph or a full piece. If you’re tasked with writing frequently, then your typing speed should improve. If it doesn’t, then you have a problem that you need to identify and fix in order to improve your typing speed.
Stop looking at the keyboard
The same mistake is made by people learning the guitar or piano, and people who are learning to drive and look at the gear stick. When you touch type, your mind learns which fingers go to which keys, so you do not need to look at your keyboard. There is a small lump on the J and the F. They indicate where your two index fingers are supposed to go. When your fingers are in that position, then you should not need to look at the keyboard. Close your eyes and type something right now. If it is too hard for you, then you need to learn your keyboard a little better. If it is easy, then you are well on your way to becoming a faster typist.
Why is it harder to type in the dark?
You should be able to write hundreds of college reviews and essays with your eyes closed, but every now and again you will want to glance at your keyboard and will need the lights on to see it. If you’re looking at your keyboard too often, then that is the reason why you type so slowly.
Use your little finger
Yes, it is hard getting the P with your little finger, or the @ and [. But, you need to get used to doing it, so use P in one of your most frequently used passwords. This will help you to learn how to use the P more naturally. You have to account for the fact that your finger dexterity needs to improve a little over time, so practicing getting those harder to reach letters will help you.
Left shift over right shift.
When pressing shift, use you left little finger and not you right, as you are more likely to capitalize a P word over a Q word. Unless you are writing an essay about the omnipotent Q character who visits Picard and Janeway on Star Trek (FYI, Janeway became an admiral before Picard because the writer never thought of it, there is no mystery).
Don’t type capital letters at the beginning of sentences
When you start a sentence on Word or Microsoft Works, it will automatically capitalize the first letter of new sentences. So, do not waste microseconds by using your little finger. Also, do not capitalize the “i” either, because if you put it into a sentence without a letter at either side, then your document pad (Microsoft) will turn it from a small “i” to a capital “I” for you.
Don’t correct your spellings
Typing quickly is easier if you do not stop every few seconds in order to change the spelling error that the red wiggly line has highlighted. Typing quickly means you are going to get a few “i”s and “e”s mixed up. Let your spellchecker change them when you run it at the end. If you made the same mistake a few times, then use the “Change All” function and you are on a winner.
And one more thing…
You might already know about this tip, but if you don’t you’ll deeply appreciate it. I cannot say that this will work on every single computer or laptop, but the trick is is turn off your computer display completely. If you have a desktop, simply turn off or unplug your monitor. If you’re working on a laptop turn down your brightness all the way down.
This simple method allows your ideas to flow freely through your fingers without you constantly worrying about spelling, grammar, or punctuations. After you’ve finished you paper, essay, or report you can correct every single mistake you might have made. Editing on the fly will always slow you down, so don’t do it.