Does anyone have tips on how actually use briefs that I have memorized?!

[Debbie Gentile]

Hello, I have been very good in practicing my briefs everyday, and I know many by heart. My problem is that when I hear them in court, I don't recognize them until it is too late, if even at all. For instance, I know my "to the" is "TOT" but whenever I hear it in court, I write it out. It is driving me crazy. I think why keep wasting my time memorizing them, if I never use them....lol. I have a hundred like that, swimming in my brain, but won't make it out of my fingers!...lol. Any tips?

[Phil Stillerman]

It's because your brain knows them but your fingers don't. You have to practice them not just memorize them.

[Debbie Gentile]

Hi Phil,
Thanks for the tip, but I am practicing them. That is how I got to memorize them, through practice.
But I think I've got it under control now. :0)

[Marge Teilhaber (TILE hobber)]

Only work on a few at a time.

OT for "on the" is very important. Keep that with 5 others on a glossary sheet which you keep in front of you as you're working. You must ANTICIPATE and WAIT FOR these phrases. Hear the word "on" and just ASSUME that "the" will follow and WAIT FOR IT. The thrill of doing one stroke instead of the incessant 2 strokes for that commonly used phrase "on the" will start to kick in and you'll wait for other phrases such as "at the = T-T" or "at the time = TET" and "that the" = THAT" and on and on an on. WAIT FOR IT AND IT WILL COME has to be your mantra.

[Debbie Gentile]

Hi Marge,
Oh, thanks for the "on the". It is true, that does come up often. And that sounds good to keep the phrases in front of me while I work. I'm going to give that a try. Someone mentioned stickies on the machine and that sounds perfect. I'm going to get my most important ones together now! ;0) Thanks!

[Debbie Gentile]

Yeah, it is exciting...I am taking off next week and going on safari, hoping to see some cool things! ;0) Thanks for the advice about if they work for you use them, otherwise, don't. I was just trying to learn some of Mark's briefs because I love the whole idea of writing short! And I love coming up with new briefs, especially when they say the word, I get so excited...yes life is pathetic over here...lol.

[Judy]

Right now I'm trying to get down my new one-stroker for "Okay." vs "okay" without a period. Sometimes I'll write "okay" and then it hits me. If I have time, I'll back up and rewrite it. Otherwise I try to do the steno in my head so next time I'll catch it a split second sooner. I've got a stroke where it drops to the next time, puts a few **, and then I write my note to myself. Sometimes I'll even do that after the fact and then practice my one-stroker so I'll get used to writing it. It's coming along, but I don't hear it every time yet.

But Marge is write, concentrate on just a few at a time or else you're going to drive yourself nuts.

I also have a stickey on my writer of the words I'm trying to relearn to write. Right now I've got crews/cruise, peace/piece, and site/sight/cite, along with "Okay."

[Janet]

Hi Debbie,

All of our brains don't work the same way. I've found the best briefs are ones that I've created myself. I focus on just a few at a time. Once they're automatic, I move on. If one isn't working, I discard it. If I have to hesitate to think of it, I don't want it. For example, I've been trying to change the way I write "it" because it stacks and comes out "T." I tried writing YIT for it, but it just won't click. Time to come up with something else.

Try coming up with your own briefs. I think you'll find it easier & more automatic.

Janet

Janet

[Debbie Gentile]

Hey Judy,
I love your idea of stickies on the machine! One reporter here has a machine covered in colorful stickies...it looks so fun! :0) I am going to go get my stickies together! And I think that was my problem, having too many at one time. I will limit myself to 5 words or so. I think Anita Paul's tapes are creat for conflicts. She says the words and then puts them in sentences for you and then speeds up a bit. I hate conflicts...lol. So thanks again!

[Debbie Gentile]

Hey Monica,
When I was a student, I focused on writing most everything out too. But now that I am reporting, I am all about shortening it up. I have been reporting for 8 years now, but I love learning new things and getting excited about improving everyday! :0) What speed are you at?

[Debbie Gentile]

Hey Monica,
I think that is awesome! I remember being stuck in school at certain speeds too. It could be a bit frustrating, but oh, don't you feel like a queen, when you fly past the next speed! ;0) So you're going to go into depos rather than court? I love depos! I mean, most of them...lol. I do depos when I am home (CT) and I am doing court while I'm away now. They both have theirs advantages. Well, I am so glad to hear you're at 180....180 down...70 to go. :0)

[C Cipolla]

It's easier to learn briefs from scratch, rather than unlearn and relearn motor memory... Over the years, your fingers have developed motor memory for writing things out. To change that, you need to practice the new motor memory for briefing [in excess of the number of times] you have typed things out... if that's eight years of reporting, there's a lot of motor memory to undo, so be patient with yourself. After working all day, I imagine it's hard to have energy left to practice... So, my suggestion is to do "mental steno" practice on your briefs, where you read a magazine article, highlight the phrases you want to practice briefing, and just mentally stroke out what you're reading. When you come to the brief, the highlighting will remind you to brief it. Do everything in your head to spare your hands... Hope that helps.

[Debbie Gentile]

Oh, thanks so much for the insight! It makes a lot of sense and makes me feel a bit better about myself too...lol. I love the idea of mental steno...do you do it? And does it really work?