Note (9/26/25): My original plan was to post this weeks ago. I forgot about this post but better late than never.
Touch typing is one of those things that I’ve never been able to commit to. Over the years (and across at least 4 different devices), my parents have had a typing tutor installed, known as TypingMaster. For some reason, I couldn’t help but put it off.
This post will read more like a haphazard journal entry, because that’s what it is. It’s how I got myself to stay on track and finally get decent at touch typing.
Why did I put it off?
My typing speed has been…ok. A solid 60 WPM. I partially “chicken-finger” (i.e. - just use my index finger to find most of the keys.). I’ve been using QWERTY long enough that the layout’s baked into my muscle memory.
60 WPM does not seem bad at first glance, but it could be better! The only problem is “unlearning” chicken-finger tactics. To put it simply: it gets worse before it gets better.
What is TypingMaster?
It’s this typing app that breaks up learning the keys into 12 courses. I’d add a link to it here but I don’t want to sound like a shill; it’s paid software after all. Ah, you know what? here.
Also, the latest version of the software doesn’t look as pretty as previous versions, so do with that what you will (I still have version 7, released in the early 2000s). There are also much cheaper ways to learn typing; I just happened to have this on an old desktop.
It’s also not my first pick if you’re trying to learn DVORAK or Colemak.
What did I get stuck on when using TypingMaster?
Repetition
I am bad at repetitive tasks. Very bad. I get distracted very easily and need some new and shiny thing to keep me engaged. That’s why it’s always easy for me to start TypingMaster, but hard to commit.
The way around this is to supplement a lack of stimulus with some external factor. Most TypingMaster exercises aren’t more than 5 minutes, and are pretty rewarding, to be honest.
Does music work? To some extent. Playing something on YouTube makes me feel like not dozing off.
The one song that helped me focus, weirdly enough, is Skyrim Atmospheres by Jeremy Soule. I don’t plan on playing TESV any time soon, but I can’t deny that this song is:
- Long. It's 42 minutes so I don't get bored of it, even during long typing sessions.
- Slow-paced. I don't have to worry about syncing to a tempo (which I tend to do unconciously) when listening to it. It's just ambient noises
- Not lofi. I can't see myself getting anything done listening to lofi.
Now, back to things I used to get stuck on.
The Shift Key
The shift key was my previous big blocker. I never knew that the left shift key is for all the letters you type with your right hand, and vice versa. I’d almost always exclusively use Left Shift, so unlearning that took the most amount of time.
So, I’m resetting my progress, one last time.
Getting started from scratch, again.
The home row and keys E and I aren’t too bad. The main “problem” is that when my middle finger reaches E, my index moves midway between F and R.
I got through E and I and I’m now on keys R and U.
I’m getting the hang of this! My brain tends to prefetch letters it’s about to write. I’ve left it on section 3.2, a word drill.
July 23rd, 2025
Keys R and U are giving me some grief. I’m able to get to 45 wpm but my accuracy is too low.
After a bit more trying, I got to 41 and maintained 98%
Keys T & O
Nothing much to say here.
Leaving it at 4.2
July 25th, 2025
This is annoyingly hard. I can’t get myself to slow down for some reason while doing drills. I keep on reaching 40 WPM, at the cost of accuracy. Especially the word rosalie. rosalie, rosalie rosalie rosalie rosalie rosalie rosalie. That’s a bit better.
July 26th 2025
Keys T & O done. I just took a nap and got better.
Capital Letters and Period
Using the Shift key was the last time I gave up, because my writing speeed TANKED to a measly 20 WPM. My accuracy did go up though, I tend to focus more on getting it right when I’m bottlenecked by my right hand.
July 29th 2025
Keys Shift and period done. Still typing this blog post using the chicken-finger technique, however. Maybe by the end there’ll be some sort of twist like “Haha turns out I’ve been touch-typing this entire paragraph!” (footnote: Say that in Hbomberguy’s voice, it just feels right.) Until I’m satisfied with my speed, this is how I’ve been typing for well over a decade at this point.
Now, I’m at section 6.2. For some reason, it feels right to use the C key with my index finger. I know I should use the middle finger.
July 30th, 2025
I’ve finished my practice of the letters C and comma, although I sometimes use my middle finger for full stops. It’s annoying and I have to type very consciously. The C key has the same issue — I try to use my index finger because it’s more comfy, even though I shouldn’t.
Now, moving on to G, H, and apostrophe. This is the furthest I’ve gotten.
July 31st, 2025
Capital G is hell on this earth. My writing speed is now a miserable 17 WPM. What’s worse is remembering whether my right pinky is at a semicolon or an apostrophe.
August 10th, 2025
I took a hiatus from this. Not good. My current goal is to have at least one daily update. It doesn’t have to be much. At least I realized it before going into the scorched earth effect again. Last I see, I was stuck on capital G. Finally got through G, H and commas. Got to V, N and ?. Feels good.
By the time I get to paragraph drills in every section, my typing speed rebounds. Even though I make a lot of mistakes, I’m able to hit backspace really quickly.
Left it at section 8.3 today.
August 11th, 2025
Tried touch typing when talking to friends. Didn’t go well. Haven’t practiced some keys. Letters P and B are the worst so far. V, N and ? done. Feel good. Onto W and M.
August 12th, 2025
Home stretch. On keys W and M. The sentence drill is always the hardest. Every mistake an accuracy hit.
I win tho.
Onto keys Q and P. When will I get to B?
August 13th, 2025
Started Q and P. Almost lost my streak. It’s 1 AM. Did the key drill. Not too bad.
August 14-16th, 2025
I was very on-and-off, but got a tiny bit of work done on those first two days and finished Q and P today. Keeping up that 40 WPM goal. Working well for me.
August 17th, 2025
This sentence drill is deeply frustrating. What I’m beginning to realize is that after learning the letter B, it’s messing with my muscle memory for V (It took me 4 tries to write that.) Having not only realized this, but also having written it down, maybe I’ll be more mindful of it.
I’m not annoyed by the exercise but bad exposition is my pet peeve. Is this from a children’s book?
Home stretch. In over 8 years I’ve never gotten this far.
August 18th, 2025
It is exactly 1 AM. Continuting off of the high of finishing the previous exercise, I decided to sprint trough Z and X.
If only they knew.
I’m finally done. Am I touch typing as I write this? Yes, but not well. I still need a lot of practice. But I’m apparently done with this course.
I think this is a good place to stop this journal, and start a new one.
TypingMaster has a speed building course, a numbers course and a special characters course. But I’ll save that for another day.