"I don’t want people to just write faster, I want them to write well and then write well, FASTER!"

The PERFORMANCE ACCELERATOR Series make it easy to practice and build speed accurately. When you write a PERFORMANCE ACCELERATOR segment in realtime you can tell at a glance where your problems are and what you need to work on. You can also certainly practice with the PERFORMANCE ACCELERATOR using just a computer and steno machine, but ideally, the CDs should be used simultaneously with your realtime software.

Each PERFORMANCE ACCELERATOR volume contains dictation at 10 speed levels. For the first time, you can build speed at one speed level and then drop back to lower levels for accuracy and realtime reinforcement -- all on the same CD!

• Be sure you have registered your PERFORMANCE ACCELERATOR CD before you begin.
  
• Open your computer aided transcription (CAT) or text entry software in one window and start your realtime translation. Open your PERFORMANCE ACCELERATOR in a second window. You can "toggle" back and forth between the windows to check your accuracy and your success.
  
• Start the Dictionary Dazzle Drills, write them in realtime, and click back to your translation screen to ensure that the words and phrases you’ve written are in your dictionary and that you’ve written them accurately. After all, there’s no point trying to build speed if you don’t know the correct outlines!
  
• Look up outlines and make any dictionary entries and adjustments that prove necessary, including all proper names.
  
• Toggle back to your PERFORMANCE ACCELERATOR screen, choose a speed level and a dictation segment. Click! Write the segment.
  
• At this point you may continue writing speedbuilding segments or toggle back to check your translation after each dictation. It’s up to you. If you are modifying your writing, you will want to check your realtime often. If you are working on building speed, checking realtime after a controlled speed segment will be most productive for you.
  

• Choose a dictation segment. Find a level at which you can write this segment comfortably. Choose a level you want to achieve. For example, your "comfortable" level is Level 3. The level you would like to achieve is Level 5.
  
• Practice the segment at Levels 4-5-6 and 5 again. Check your notes or your realtime translation. Or, practice Levels 4-5-6-4-5-6 in sequence followed by a controlled segment at Level 5 or Levels 4-5-6-5-4. If you are modifying your writing, check your realtime at the end of each segment. If you are building speed, check your realtime at the end of each pattern. For the pattern of checking realtime that will work best for you, check the Speedbuilding Strategies document in the online resource site.
  
• Before you pack up at the end of your practice session, drop back three or four speed levels and shoot for the BEST you can be – that means perfect outlines and ALL the punctuation. Write as though someone is relying on your realtime translation. Do not let yourself off the hook until you can write this slower speed with three or less errors. This is a painless way to be sure that you are not straying away from your theory principles and that your writing is on the right track.
  
• There is nothing like checking your realtime to convince yourself that "PUNCTUATION IS NECESSARY" and that "PUNCTUATING IS POSSIBLE." If you were building speed on a QWERTY keyboard, you would not leave out the punctuation, would you? Of course not! Speedbuilding students have gotten away with not punctuating their notes because there were no consequences connected to not punctuating notes. Punctuation only counted in the transcript. Realtime testing and realtime careers have changed all that. It’s time to put your intellect into your transcript while you are writing it.
  

In the past you had to invest in a bookshelf full of tapes to cover a 10-level range of speed practice, but now it’s as easy as "click" and you’re there. Try to keep your perfect writing no more than three speed levels lower than your goal speed. If your "perfect" realtime is only two levels behind your speedbuilding goal speed, that is ideal. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be writing 240 words per minute, with 200 wpm beautiful realtime, or to be able to write broadcast captions at the highest speeds perfectly? You bet!

I don’t recommend reading your realtime screen as you write, but I absolutely recommend checking your realtime screen for the instant feedback it can give you about your writing. "Wow! I write that outline incorrectly every time!" You can tell at a glance what needs fixing and what needs more attention, speed or accuracy. I’m a big believer that if you practice accuracy, your writing receives constant reinforcement and the speed will take care of itself.

If you’re modifying your writing or transitioning to a career in captioning, use realtime feedback for a quick analysis of your success.

Writing badly – faster – gets you nowhere. Make sure you’re writing well and then write well, more quickly.

If your focus is building speed, don’t practice in realtime all the time. It becomes counterproductive. Use your realtime feedback for analysis of your writing only after each controlled-speed segment.

Whether your goal is certification or broadcast-quality captions, I hope my PERFORMANCE ACCELERATOR Series will help you make your dreams a reality.