Tensas gazette., 1908-02-07
AIDS TO LITERARY WORK
Shorthand, Typewriting and Phono-
graph Cylinders.


graph Cylinders.
Literary men and newspaper repor-
ters are coming to discard the pen, as
business men do. in the interest Of
speed. The Medical Times remark
ed the other day that the pen belonged
to- the era "of the stagecoach and
weekly mail" Perhaps that statement
exaggerates the truth, but not exces-
sively. 1t is not every writer, Of
course, who can avail himself OF the
most modern facilities for rapid work.
Whether he operates a typewriting
machine himself or employs some
one else to do so for him, the a,3op-
tion of the practice involves some sx-
penditure of money. The acquisition
of the art of stenography is useful,
especially to court reporters. A writ
er may find it helpful in making his
own notes, or in recording a CON-
munication that is received over q
telephone, where accuracy is of great
importance.
Generally, though, the literary rian,
like the business man. makes uss of
the services Of an assistant who can
take memoranda in shorthand, and
subsequently produce the matter in
full with typewriter. Some persons
operate the machine so skilfully that
they can take a letter or story d.
rectly from dictation, and the author
Is thus enabled to get his copy sooner
than otherwise.
Another resource, the phonograph,
once promised to be a great convent
ence to writer's. That instrument
seemed to be admirably adapted to
record speech with accuracy and
speed. 1t has been something of dis
appointment, though, because it is
harder work to learn just how to use
it than is commonly supposed. The
Medical Times recently pointed out
some of the embarrassments encoun-
tered by the man or woman who uses
it.
After the recording cylinder is put
in place in the machine and started
on its revolutions. ready for dictation,
there appears at once in the operator
sense of hurry, similar to that ex-
perienced In debating to a stenograph-
er, but much more intense. Until he
can teach his brain cells that no space
Is being wasted when he is not die
tating. for the machine can be easily
controlled in its revolutions. the op-
orator loses the thread OF his dis
course in his desire to keep up, ap-
parently, with the rapidly revolving
cylinder. 1t takes time and training
to learn to keep ones wits from being
distracted by gazing at the revolv-
discover how indistinctly one seems
to talk; the knack of speaking into the
tube must be learned
Again, only about twelve hundred
words can be dictated to cylinder
before it must be cleaned OF for
further use; this cleaning of cylinders
is an accurate, time consuming work
which is no child's play. Moreover,
the machine Is very accurately made
instrument, which must be kept in
perfect order; 1t is not especially COM
plicated, but it demands careful over
hauling from time to time. The ex-
pense of the phonograph was. i've
years ago, in itself prohibitory; it is
now within reach commercially.
But the most serious objection to
the phonograph. as to the steno-
grapher, is that 1t requires some one
to take of the dictation on paper; 1t
is left in an unusable form ey the die
tator. If the writer does this himself,
he, of course. saves no time beyond ar
ranging to do it times when 1t would
be impossible to compose. If he has
it done, he quickly learns that the
labor Of reading of the cylinder" is
very brain fatiguing, and many type
writer's seem unable to stand the
work. There is also some likelihood
of mistakes in copying from the
cylinder although the percentage is
less than in shorthand work, but the
notes can be gone over any number
of times.