air. These movements result in a loss of valuable nervous energy. They are generally the result of the hesitation caused by trying to recall principles or wordsigns of which the writer has but a hazy recollection.
By memorizing a short passage and writing it repeatedly from memory, passing directly from one outline to the next, much may be done to overcome this very wasteful habit. The idea to be held in mind constantly is continuity of movement. In acquiring this movement a certain deliberation must at first be observed; the desire to keep the hand moving, except in performing the actual act of writing outlines, should be repressed.
In passing from one outline to another do not raise the pen higher from the paper than is necessary to clear it, for it must be remembered that the farther the pen travels the longer it takes, and unnecessary travel records itself in decreased efficiency.
From the first, aim to acquire an easy, rapid—but accurate—formation of the characters and to make each character with a continuous movement. Continuous does not necessarily imply rapid. One good way to acquire this is to make a mental picture of the entire shorthand form of a word or phrase before writing it. If you are about to write the word "make," for example, think of the consonants "m" and "k" and where the vowel should go—outside the angle—and then write the entire word with an easy, flowing movement. If you cannot write the wordform without a jerky movement the first time you attempt it, keep on writing it until you can. That is one of the very greatest of the "speed secrets." Acquire the habit early and it will help you immensely all through the Studies and enable you to acquire a higher degree of skill than
