Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer Writing better essays and PRing the dictionary

Hi all,

What should I photoread in order to improve my writing skills, to write essays that have breadth, depth and style?

I believe that photoreading the dictionary would be one of the solutions. However, how do you activate the dictionary? Wouldn't you be reading nearly every line so as not to miss out on each word's various meanings?

lifelearner

I just Photoread Oxford English Dictionary words starting with letters A and B. I decided to have this strategy since the dictionary has more than 2000 pages. I´m also curious on how to activate? The dictionary has much information on each word, it´s basicaly book about words, their meanings and history. Could it be that I should just let my goal guide my activation, already during preview I paid attention to the words related my goals, but also words that are familiar from movies and songs, but lack of knowledge on their meaning. Is there need to use some other technique than with normal book?

From what I've heard, photoreading dictionaries is a good example of the effect of soaking up direct information into your subconscious database. Sometimes you'll notice yourself saying a word that you believe you made up, yet when looking it up, you find out that it is truly a word.

I'm doing the same thing but I'm making sure to photoread multiple dictionaries.

Regarding essays, you should photoread books regarding "Fallacy", and remember that the key to writing a superior essay is by focussing on the fact that the conclusion is only as strong as the multiple premise(s) that create the foundation.

Same thing applies in politics when in debates, one should never attack one's conclusion, but rather attack individual premises that build the conclusion together.

[This message has been edited by BlackBox (edited December 20, 2003).]

I would think that a great way to do direct learning for essay writing would be to PhotoRead (without activation) a bunch of books filled with essays on various topics. Or, check to see if you can find a site on the web that has a reputable, quality store of argumentative essays by scholars. I'm sure they exist. Once you do this, you will definitely need to practice essay writing over and over again until you truly refine your systematic application of the subconscious knowledge you've gained. That would be the equivalent to activation, it seems to me :-)

Correct me if I'm wrong, as always. I'm still learning!

-Cameron

Photoread writing of the style you like. That will influence your own wrting style.

Logic also says the how to books are a good choice whether you use direct learning or to activate books on the subject is you're call.

Just photoreading in general with the purpose of noticing the good qualities of the authors style in a variety of books will also help.

Alex

This brings up a question, AlexK, that I've been meaning to ask. Is it just as effective to PhotoRead with more than one purpose? For example, I could PhotoRead a novel we're reading in school with several purposes 1) to accelerate its activation as it applies to my class and quizzes, tests, essays, etc. 2) To enjoy it or whichever parts of it I have time to consciously rapid reading 3) To improve my own writing style 4) To improve my ability to analyze stories and pick up metaphors, important alusions, etc. I could probably think of several more too.

Can having many different purposes for one PhotoReading sort of split the energy up too many ways for any one to be accomplished effectively? Or is this something that's totally within the realm of the subconscious' s power to keep in mind all of these things? Or might it be better to PhotoRead multiple times with a different purpose in mind each time?

Also, how much of a difference should a conscious affirmation really make compared to a subconscious desire? If in the above example I were to only state that I desired to accelerate the application of this material to my class in order to score A+'s on the test and the upcoming essay, would it necessarily follow that my subconscious would automatically also fulfill the other somewhat related desires which I did not explicitly state? The reason I'm wondering about this is that supposedly the subconscious mind cannot make any decisions on its own, and extra assumptions/elaborations on purpose sound kind of life logical choices to me...

I want to put this issue to rest so that I no longer worry that maybe I would get better results if I elaborate my purpose to death.

-Cameron

While not putting all ones eggs into one basket is a good idea there is also the concept of speading oneself too thin. That is having too many purposes without a clear focus on one.

Generally for photoreading any will do. It's with the activation that you need to determine exactly what you're doing. If you decide to activate for pleasure and school are only only focused on the pleasure aspect or need for school? Typically I advise to have one clear purpose remembering that a book you have already photoread can be returned to later for the 'other' purposes as they arise.

On a deeper level you'll probably cover all those aspects anyway its bringing it to the conscious level to the degree that you desire and need that is really you "current" purpose. The resources are there and at an other than conscious level you can still be influenced by someones writing style. When you think about it... it's what draws you towards enjoying certain kinds of books, makes comprehension easier if you have an affinity for the style and make activation faster.

Alex

Thanks for replying.

Now I know how to improve my writing, but what about the dictionary? Exactly how do you activate a dictionary?

If you photoread a dictionary daily for a couple of weeks along side with your efforts at writing you won't actually have to activate the dictionary. You'll think of a word and look it up on a as needed basis.

Consider also photoreading a thesaurus daily for a couple of weeks. Again actual activation is reduntant the words will show up as you use them. If you happen to glance down a page of a dictionary you will notice that you are very familiar with 70 to 80% of them anyway and to use those obscure 20%in your writing won't actually help you be a better writer. A good writer writes so that the majority can understand the message that the writer is intending to convey.

Of course if you want to write scientific papers you'll use the jargons from the community to make you sound absolutely brilliant to the layperson and sponsors.

Don't you just love it when someone writes?
The fowel emitted a discinctive sound in the range of 35 to 40 decibels only to reveal upon arising that it had left behind an ovoid calcium based object of a deceptively hard nature yet vey thin and fragile.

As a photoreader I do prefer the phase, "the hen squawked and got up to reveal she had laid an egg." Much easier and faster to get the drift of what the author is talking about. Of course if you photoread my post first that previous paragraph probably had more meaning than it would have with a regular read though

Alex

So, if I make it a habit to photoread a dictionary and a thesaurus daily, my writing skill will slowly, but surely improve?