Typing be it on a typewriter or QWERTY keyboard, is a very useful skill to have. It will enable you to complete documents much more quickly and efficiently. There are a few ways you can begin typing, or improve your typing skills.

If you are a complete beginner, then you will need to acquire a typing program. These come in a few shapes and sizes. Mavis Beacon teaches typing Deluxe is a very good package that will give all level of typists a sound platform to work from. I recall using an earlier version of Mavis Beacon, which gave me the platform to touch type. It will run you through all the basic keystrokes, in addition to hand position, to get you typing. With customizable games to challenge any level, it is definitely worth a look.

A free alternative to Mavis that I found is A shortcut to Type Faster. It has 15 lessons focusing on all the keys and some games to have fun with, along with the usual progress graphs etc.

Once you have gone through some of the basic tutorials on the finger positions, hand positions and keystrokes you will have all the foundations to type. How fast and accurately can you type? For a beginner, you will probably be typing at a fairly pedestrian 20-30 wpm, keeping an eye on the keys as you type. Improving your proficiency will only come through practice.

Don't be in a hurry to touch type. To raise your speeds, you can try a number of typing games. Mavis Beacon has the car races, Type Faster has rocket games. They are fun, but just remember to be realistic about the sort of speeds you can reach. Aim for about 5-10wpm faster than average only. And don't forget that accurate typing is also just as important.

Aside from challenging yourself to type faster on typing tests and games, the other recommendation is to just type! That is to say, register on Internet chat forums and you will always need to type posts. Write Helium articles and what will you be doing? Typing, as well as writing. Another tip is to put a book up just below the monitor and copy text from it into a word processor. Do this, and you will be copy typing.

Touch typists don't look at the keyboard, because they don't have to. By instinct, they know where the keys are. To make the step up, it is simply a matter of becoming more confident with the keyboard. Gradually, you might want to try looking away from the keyboard as you type for a few minutes and then longer. Aim for 5 minutes without looking, 10 minutes etc. In time, you may not have to look at the keyboard at all!

In many respects, good typing will make you a more proficient IT user. Whether writing a letter, a Helium article, or entering data onto the Internet you will be typing or entering data. With practice, and perhaps some patience, your typing skills will improve. Focus on your weaker keys, and remember to have fun!

Learn more about this author, Matthew Adams.
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