Shorthand

Has anyone here had to learn shorthand?

I've got two weeks to get up to 100wpm or I'm in a world of trouble. Any tips greatly appreciated.

Is this some sort of bizarre blackmail/ransom scenario?

I can comfortably average 77-80wpm touch typing, what are you at at the moment?

2 weeks :O

Has anyone here had to learn shorthand?

I've got two weeks to get up to 100wpm or I'm in a world of trouble. Any tips greatly appreciated.

If you're a beginner you've got absolutely no chance of achieving that. If not - log off and practice...

If you're a beginner you've got absolutely no chance of achieving that. If not - log off and practice...

For once I actually agree with something he said, if you are starting from scratch, then no chance.....however if you already up in the 60-70wpm range then with a bit of practice its doable, however the higher up you get the harder it is to make gains in your type speed.

shorthand, as in handwritten, yeah?

Damned by faint praise...

Heigh-ho.

my tip is: find a trained secretary from the 1970s. i thought portable recording equipment and the rise of the word processor had pretty much made shorthand obsolete?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3PBVZIL9Wg

my tip is: find a trained secretary from the 1970s. i thought portable recording equipment and the rise of the word processor had pretty much made shorthand obsolete?

An awful (in both senses of the word) lot of people that I interview are reluctant to be taped, and you can't always get sound levels at other than one-to-ones.
Stating the bleeding obvious face

hadn't thought of that. there's still no way to learn shorthand in two weeks though, surely.

hadn't thought of that. there's still no way to learn shorthand in two weeks though, surely.

Exactly. It's taken me 25 years and I'm still shit at it...

so the 1970's secretary is probably still the best option. or a cracked copy of dragon dictate.

so the 1970's secretary is probably still the best option. or a cracked copy of dragon dictate.

Reggie Perrin has no use for her any more...

NTCJ right? Pitman or Teeline?

so the 1970's secretary is probably still the best option. or a cracked copy of dragon dictate.

fwiw I think with dragon you will need to get the subject to read a sample piece first so it can learn their voice. probably not a great option.

can you tape them secretly? a decent external mic could sort out the levels.

Shorthand?

Good luck to you I think you would have more chance of learing Polish in two weeks ;o)))

It's still used quite a bit, mainly because it's illegal to take recording devices into court (if you intend to use them, perfectly legal if you don't intend to, for some reason).

I had three months to learn it, but I just could get past 70wpm. Still, I passed it yesterday.

Well done. My secretary can do shorthand but has not used it in years. It is quicker and more efficient to use digital dictation. Court Reporters - stenographers - who do transcripts of trials/depositions use either recordings or mechanical stenographic machines which are very clever and allow for live transcripts of proceedings. ONly journos need short hand because they are untrusted to use anything that might provide an accurate record of what was said ;o)

Well done mate, good work. Keep doing it and you'll get faster. Don't be tempted to go down the dictaphone route. One of the journalists I worked with could do nearly 100wpm whilst pissed!

Are you training to be a journalist?

EDIT: Just read your last sentence Clive, so true, so true...

I cheat. Bad enough trying to decipher my own handwriting as it is...

Well done mate, good work. Keep doing it and you'll get faster. Don't be tempted to go down the dictaphone route. One of the journalists I worked with could do nearly 100wpm whilst pissed!

Are you training to be a journalist?

EDIT: Just read your last sentence Clive, so true, so true...

Cheers Photoben, I'm going to try and speed up if I can. I'm trying to take down dialogue while I watch TV...

I've been working in magazines in London for years as a feature, news and reviews writer, as well as the odd podcast and video.

About 7 months ago I decided to take the leap into newspapers and I managed to get a traineeship on a local paper. I've now been made redundant, but at least I have my NCTJ. Looking for work now.