There are those times when it just feels like the brain is working faster than hands when it comes to writing.
I usually experience this.
Even more so, when I’m exhausted or under pressure from an almost due deadline.
I find that most people experience this failure in coordination between thinking and writing and it is common. This is based on the fact that it’s widely discussed in most reading and writing forums.
This post will discuss this so you understand the relationship between writing and thinking.
With that said?
Why do I skip words when I write?
You skip some words when you write because your brain works harder and faster when writing and the fact is, your brain is a lot faster than your hands which is why you’re bound to skip words when you write. Furthermore, Writing is how you externalize thought and your brain is like a super computer that pushes out data faster than your hands can handle.
Which makes it difficult for you to write and hang on to every thought.
Your tongue is also faster than your hands which is why you’re able to express thoughts easily and completely when speaking.
Below I’ll discuss some ways you can ensure that you write without skipping words or atleast keep it to a minimum.
How to write without skipping words
Plan what you’re writing
If you want to get ahead with your writing and ensure that you make fewer typos and omit fewer words then start off by having a plan.
Most people skip this step and jump right into the writing. The result is usually written text with a lot of word omissions.
Therefore, a good practice is to plan out what you’re about to write before jumping straight into it.
If you have a general idea of where the writing should go then map this out either visually or mentally.
I’ve found that a good practice of doing this is what I’m about to explain in the next point.
Write bullet points
Writing is essentially the opposite of reading and requires careful execution paired with sufficient preparation.
A good practice is to write down bullet points of everything you need to write about.
This will give you a guideline and allow you a couple of in-between breaks when it’s time to move from one point to another.
Your brain is faster than your hands therefore structure around your writing will help you express information better because focus can be restricted to a singular point before moving to the next.
Write slowly
The biggest way to lose track of ommisions in writing is by writing fast.
The brain processes information at high speeds and the more you try to compete with it via writing, the more you miss words.
This gets even worse when you’re writing without a structured plan.
A good way to keep track of every word you’re writing is by writing slowly.
When you slow down your pace of writing, you automatically signal your brain that it’s time to go slow and your brain will abide to that.
This way you may omit and skip a couple of words but you’ll most likely catch most of your skips before you make them.
Write and read through
This is a good way to keep track of both individual words as well as the general grammar as a whole.
Most people write first and then come back to their writing to catch mistakes.
This works too but may prove difficult if you omit an important word that fail to remember.
A good practice is to therefore write and read through your writing.
It could be after every sentence or paragraph or whatever you decide.
What you decide should be based on your omission tendencies.
If you tend to omit words every 3 sentences then you should write and read through every 3 or 4 sentences you write.
This can be a great way to catch wind of mistakes early.
Avoid writing under pressure
Due dates and due times have a significant impact on writing especially when they’re almost closing in.
Most people panic and make alot of mistakes due to the pressure of deadlines.
A good way to avoid skipping a bunch of words when writing is avoiding taking on work with tight deadlines and avoid beginning your writing when a deadline is almost due.
Doing this is self care and can help you avoid several writing mistakes.
Choose the right writing tool
If you want to master writing without making a handful of mistakes you have to use the right medium for writing.
Find your strength in short.
If you find it easy and fast to write via pen on paper then go for it.
If you find typing on a computer to be more effective then go for it.
My point is…. write using a medium that you’re comfortable with.
Of course in certain situations you may not have the luxury of choosing which medium to use for writing.
Therefore its good to practice writing analog style and writing digitally.
Concentration
With writing, focus is one thing that you have to pay attention to because your mind can easily drift from one thought to another.
This can cause problems for your writing.
You’ll most likely make mistakes of misspelling, omission and other things.
Which is why you want to channel your focus on the writing and your thoughts.
Having a plan and bullet points to guide you can easily help you manage your concentration.
Therefore utilize both.
Mouth off words while writing
Another great and underrated way of writing words without skipping any… is mouthing off words as you write.
This is one of the easiest ways you can learn to write more concisely and also a great way to tame your brain from spitting out random information.
Some people prefer to loudly speak out their thoughts and match that in writing which is just as effective has silently mouthing off words.
This is a good practice that can help you avoid a lot of mistakes other than skipping words.
Practice
Finally, practice is a way that you can solve the problem of skipping words once in for all.
The more you practice writing the better you get at externalizing your thoughts.
This doesn’t only mean grammar it also means you get better at taming your brain.
Writing without skipping words is not rocket science you just need to find a way for your mind and hands to be one.
This means understanding your brain’s pace and matching that with your writing.
Therefore put in hours of practice and you’ll notice a difference in the way that you tackle writing.
You’ll make fewer mistakes.
Articles You Should Definitely Read
Why Do I Sometimes Miss A Word From A Written Sentence – The Naked Scientist
Omitting word(s) when typing – Psychology Stack Exchange
Missing Out Words While Typing, My Struggle. – Patricia
Do you miss words when you type or write? | Personality Cafe
