Skills, Skills, Skills...

Skills at the computer serve a writer well.
Photo credit | Elizabeth King Humphrey

The other day, my 10-year-old daughter decided to practice creating bar graphs--computer skills that she was learning in her fifth-grade class. She started asking me about my skills: computer, reading, writing, editing, and others...concentrating on how I managed and learned them by high school.

I surprised her when I admitted that computers weren't as common during my high school days as they are today. (Yes, I'm one of those ancient people who learned to type on a typewriter.)

As she continued to graph my various skills, I realized that as a writer and editor, I am fortunate that I learned to type...and have managed to keep up my skills, learning new computer programs, adding more skills on the computer. Although I've had many other jobs before I focused on writing, at every step of my life, I've used this one skill that seemed so bland to me as a young teenager.

My ability to type certainly helped me transition into working with words. But now I'm so geeky that one day I think I will even learn how to type using a Dvorak keyboard (would it be simpler for someone so accustomed to the QWERTY keyboard?)

There are few skills I can recall (see above comment about my ancient age) that I learned that long ago that I still use today. Counting on my fingers is probably the other skill I use in a pinch. 

Researching, I think, is an important skill, which has grown on me and is incredibly useful as a writer. And, as you may recall, I've recently spent a good chunk of time strengthening my editing abilities, which I've found extremely useful. 


Although my daughter hunts and pecks at the keyboard, I think about the skills her generation will be using when they are my age. Is there one that will stand out to her? Or will voice-recognition software make typing obsolete for everyone? Typing on a computer might seem archaic to them just as using a typewriter might seem antiquated to folks today.

What skills are important to you as a writer? What skills did you learn as a child that have stood the test of time and helped you become a better writer or editor? Are there skills you wish you had now--and what can you do to learn them?

Elizabeth's daughter gave her mom fairly high marks for her computer skills--adjusting for the fact that she started learning how to use computers after high school. Fortunately, she didn't judge Elizabeth's "tweeting" skills, but you can follow her on Twitter @Eliz_Humphrey.

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2 comments computer, editing, Elizabeth King Humphrey, typing text, writing, writing skills

Typing to the Beat of a New Drummer

Recently a friend of mine went out on an important business trip to New York. As he and his partner were at Kinkos copying a presentation for their big meeting, they happened to glance at the trash bin next to the copier. On top of a pile of crumpled documents was a pristine, unmarred business plan. My friend picked it up and couldn’t believe his eyes. The plan was similar to the one they were intending to write! He quickly snatched it and concealed it in his messenger bag.

A few days later he told me the story. The meeting went spectacular, everything was gangbusters, and finding that business plan was strange... it was serendipity. He wanted to do something similar and use the business plan as a template. And since he never took typing (I call him ‘Sam Peck-n-paw’), I agreed to retype the document for him. I couldn’t bear to see him peck away for days when I could do it in an hour.

As I sat at my keyboard typing, I was reminded of the late author Hunter S. Thompson. This visionary and founder of “Gonzo Journalism” spent his early years typing out the complete works of Faulkner, Hemingway, and Fitzgerald. He wanted to know what it was like to write a masterpiece. To feel the voice and rhythm of words from an author he admired. And typing out their novels was the closest thing to it.

I have to admit, it’s amazing. Even though I was simply typing out a random business plan from a complete stranger found in a stinky trash can, I discovered that typing someone else’s words gives you a whole new perspective and understanding. It’s not like reading. It’s completely different. While typing, you hear tone, voice, beat and clarity of thought. You pick up on much more than you would on a quick read-through. You use a multitude of senses.

After I typed the document for my friend, I took a little time and typed the first chapters of my favorite books. For a moment, you can feel exactly what that person is feeling, the pulse of their words, and the bu-dum, bu-dum, heartbeat of their word-song.

If you haven’t tried it before, here’s your challenge:

• Pick out an author you admire and type their first chapter.

• What do you feel?

• Did you discover something different than when you read it?

• How did the words feel at the tips of your fingers? Did you hear their voice?

It's a fun exercise and probably the closest you can get to an author's mind. Hunter S. would be proud.

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2 comments Hunter S. Thompson, typing text, word rhythm, writing voice