ENTRY
[ESC]>> Stenography Primer [05] //
Hello, latent stenographers.
This is part five of an article series about stenography.
In the previous four articles, I covered the basics of stenography: the machine, how to write, theories, phrases, and briefs.
All this leaves me at a crossroad of where to go next. Do I cover what items you can use to start trying stenography yourselves? Or do I go into my own theory? Or maybe I talk about the court reporting profession and how to become a court reporter?
This is the conundrum. For now, let me explain why you -- yes, you -- should learn stenography.
// A Tool for Every Occasion
It's easy to dismiss stenography as just some insane skill for a very niche job of writing down conversational speech. While that is its primary purpose, stenography is useful for so much more.
- Programming: Did you know that you can create steno chords for literally anything? How would you like to have chords for all of your basic coding syntax? It's hard to create a syntax error when your syntax is baked into the chords. Put it in once correctly, output correctly every time.
- Creative Writing: This should be an obvious transition, but if you're a writer, stenography can allow you to write much faster and with less errors, helping you to get your ideas out of your head and onto the page before you lose your train of thought. Even if you're writing fantasy, the ability to create chords for unique fantasy names will make your writing life so much easier.
- Laziness: Let me tell you, after learning stenography, I have become a very lazy typist. Using a keyboard feels sluggish and takes too much effort in most situations. It's hard to put into words how much extra effort and strain you put on your fingers to type the same amount as you would on a steno machine, and my keyboard switches are 15g spring, lubed Gateron clears. Most people are using anywhere from 30-45g or more springs. That's so hard on your fingers. Stop hurting yourselves. Doing daily activities on the computer with steno will change your life.
// Benefits & Neurodivergency
At the risk of sounding like a self-help book, learning stenography is just like any other skill-based hobby. The act of engaging your mind in novel activities, especially ones involving learning and using your hands -- provide many mental and physical benefits.
If you're someone who struggles with focus, who is fidgety (I'm looking at you, fellow neurodivergent people), or someone who enjoys a challenge, stenography is absolutely for you. You wouldn't believe the number of court reporters that are neurodivergent.
// The Cool Factor
And honestly, stenography just looks cool. You feel like a wizard while writing in steno, and people are amazed by it because they don't understand it.
Think of how people are wowed by stage and street magicians performing a magic trick. The amazement and wonder come from the fact that people don't understand the very logical and sometimes simple slight of hand and tool use to create these effects.
By learning stenography, you can not only gain all of these useful benefits, but you can also look cool to those around you. You'll never feel more like a hacker from movies and TV shows than you will writing in steno.
// Hot Take
While a keyboard is a ubiquitous peripheral for interfacing with computers, there's no denying that they show their age. In just about every situation a keyboard is useful, a steno machine is even more useful, excluding people who need the individual strokes of a keyboard for disability purposes. But that said, there are even one-handed steno theories out there, and anyone can build their own theory if they so choose to fit their individual needs.
// Being Realistic
Look, I know that despite everything written here, stenography is a skill that takes months to years to learn how to use effectively. It takes time and dedication because it's a skill akin to learning a language and a musical instrument at the same time. That fact alone will scare a lot of people away from even attempting it.
Even then, I know I'm just one person on a very niche corner of cyberspace trying to convince strangers that taking on an entirely new hobby/life skill that requires months to years to learn is a good idea. But I still think everyone should learn stenography because there's so much to gain from it and nothing to lose.
... unless you just don't find it interesting or fun. Then it's just a chore. But learn it anyway for the clout.
Thanks for bearing with me on this little detour of an article. Next time, for those still interested at this point, I will show you how to get started with stenography for free, and also give options for those who don't mind dropping $50-100 on dedicated stenography hardware.
Until then, stay curious.
Join the conversation