Writing As You Think

Not all of us think exactly as we write! I write very differently than I speak, actually. I suspect that phenomena is more common than some people's extraordinary ability to write exactly as they speak.

For me, it's a factor that I must slow down my thinking in order to have the flow of words keeping up with my ability to type - which is only 40 wpm or so. This rate is still much faster than I originally had to do in longhand. So I think that if someone had learned to type, they would be better at writing as they speak than I was. I had to learn to put my thoughts in words first in long-hand - difficult. Can remember when I used to write everything out, then take the sissors to what I'd written, and then put what was better related together and totally rewrite it again. Decades ago. I'm so happy I can type now.

I also discovered that when I write, I tended to intermix my prepositions. This expressed my ability to recombine elements and come up with new direction, but it confused people when I wrote in this way. I tended to naturally speak in hugely dependent clauses - which people understand while speaking, but in writing, this style of talking this is awful to follow. Sometimes when talking, I'll be referring to three or four different points, perhaps unrelated, all at once. It's completely bizzarely confusing to be writing in that manner. I do find people who are capable of talking that way much more commonly. Women in particular can follow me just fine.

Enjoyed turning on the tape recorder while I was having an interesting conversation with a musicologist and then transcribed it. At the time, I thought it was an interesting conversation that expressed the unique
thinking patterns of the person being interviewed. Others found it disgusting to follow our multiple trains of thought going all at the same time. Some people could keep up with it, but most who read the transcript
were completely mortified and accused us of nonsensical rambling and ranting. Probably I still have the transcription somewhere as an example if anyone is interested.