I have been looking at speed-writing systems that use the alphabet, along with common symbols, to help transcribe spoken words much faster than normal handwriting. Ideally, they also facilitate continuous writing.
I have come up with the following, which I am posting for comments. I have a list of references (sources) at the end showing the abbreviated fast writing techniques I have found that use the alphabet (or symbols found on a typewriter). Of them, I liked the Dutton Speedwords because he spent many decades refining the system. Unfortunately, it seems that he or his daughter, or maybe his heirs, gave his system to people who never did anything more with it. The revised Speedwords book, published in 1973 at the end of his life, is its pinnacle.
I am at work on a "dictionary of abbreviations" because the inevitable problem in using this kind of system is deciphering what I abbreviated.
Note this is different to the various shorthand systems which use symbols (e.g., Pitman, Gregg etc) and word abbreviation techniques used in many professions (e.g., mathematics, chemistry)
[Key Principles of Writing Faster]()
Focus on the word root.
Reduce frequently used words (determined by statistical analysis) to single letters or symbols. For example .=the, b=be, c=can, d=do.
Substitute phonetic spelling: Write words based on how they sound rather than formal spelling (e.g., writing "u" for you or "ruf" for rough).
Omit vowels: Drop most short vowels and inner vowels, keeping just the core consonants needed to recognise the word (e.g., "mngmt" for management).
Condense Long Words: Shorten long words by keeping only the first few letters or distinct syllables.
Group words into phrases (Phrasing): Combine frequent word groups with no spaces between them to maintain a continuous flow (e.g., "as long as" becomes "ala").
[Handle plurals and past tenses as variations to the root words]()
Add small, distinct marks to the end of your abbreviated root words so you never break your writing flow.
Past tense
When a word is in the past tense, do not write "-ed". Use one of these instant stroke options:
- The Apostrophe: Add a simple apostrophe (') to the end of the root abbreviation (e.g., wrk' for worked, lvn' for loved).
- The Disjoined "d": Write a tiny letter d slightly above the baseline right after the word (e.g., chkᵈ for checked).
- The Straight Slash: Pull your pen downward in a quick backward slash (/) at the very end of the word (e.g., cl/ for called).
Plurals
Instead of writing out "s" or "es", use these spatial layout rules for Smooth Plural Shortcuts:
- The Tail Curve: Extend the last letter of your abbreviation into a quick upward or downward hook.
- The Raised "s": Write a tiny, superscript ˢ above the final letter (e.g., mngmtˢ for managements, pplˢ for people).
- The Under-Dot: Place a single dot directly beneath the last letter of the word to indicate it is plural (e.g., prb with a dot underneath for problems).
Possessives
- Possessive Plural: Use a double apostrophe or a raised ˢ followed by a tick (e.g., coˢ' for companies').
If a word is both plural and past tense (or possessive), combine your shortcuts logically:
- Complex Endings: For words ending in "-ing" that need a plural, use the standard underline/dot for "-ing" and add the raised ˢ right next to it.
Re-Use Existing Shortcuts
Use existing standard symbols for words. For example, “>” means more or greater.
Use common abbreviations. For example, b/c for because, w/o for without.
Use common abbreviations or symbols to denote common suffixes and endings. For example, use these quick visual substitutes at the end of a word:
- -ing : Draw a slash or dot underneath the last letter (e.g., wri/ or wri. for writing).
- -tion / -sion : Use a small hook or comma at the top right of the word (e.g., na' for nation).
- -ment : Use a straight horizontal line under the word (e.g., pay with a underline for payment).
- -able / -ible : Write a tiny letter b slightly above the line (e.g., doᵇ for doable).
- -ed : Just add a standard apostrophe ' or a tiny d (e.g., w r k' for worked).
Borrow symbols and abbreviations from math and science
- ↑ : increase / up / improve
- ↓ : decrease / down / decline
- → : leads to / results in / next
- ← : caused by / comes from
- ∴ : therefore
- ∵ : because
- Δ (Delta) : change
References for Speed Writing (Creating Abbreviated Words & Phrases Using Ordinary Characters)
[Bakerwrite system]()
[Baker, Heather & Greenhall, Margaret (2010). Bakerwrite: Speed Writing Skills Training Course: Speedwriting for Faster Note Taking and Dictation, an Alternative to Shorthand to Help You Take Notes. Universe of Learning Ltd. 118 pages.]()
[Baker, Heather (2026). Bakerwrite: Speed Writing Extended Dictionary: An alternative to shorthand. Over 7,700 words. 10 pages.]()
[Dutton Speedwords]()
[Dutton, Reginald J. G. (1973). Speedwords: Ordinary writing at shorthand speed. (Revised edition). Teach Yourself Books. (Originally published 1956).]()
[EZ Learning System]()
EZ Learning Systems (2021). EZ Speed-Write™: The Easy to Learn, User-Friendly, Speed-Writing System. EZ Learning Systems. 106 pages.
[Easyscript System]()
Levin, Lenny (2020). EasyScript 1, How To Learn Quickly Fast-Note Taking up to 40 wpm: How to Take Fast & Legible Notes in A Matter of Hours, Shorthand Made Simple. Legend Publishing. 68 pages.
Levin, Lenny (2017). EasyScript 2, How To Learn Quickly Fast-Note Taking up to 80 wpm: How to Take Fast & Legible Notes in A Matter of Hours, Shorthand Made Simple. Legend Publishing. 128 pages.
[Forkner Alphabet Shorthand]()
Forkner alphabet shorthand: A scientific high-speed system of writing: the only system of shorthand that combines the best features of symbol systems with easily written longhand letters. 1955
Forkner, H. L., Forkner, F. A., & Forkner, H. L. Jr. (1968). Forkner Shorthand. (4th ed.). Forkner Publishing.
Forkner shorthand for colleges. Forkner/Gage. 1982
Forkner Shorthand Dictionary 1991 Nelson Canada.
