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Welcome to the Steno Wizard's Realtime Journey!






Remember when life was simple and all you had to do was make a selection on what your steno really meant? Those days are long gone.





Reporters must get themselves into top realtime form to compete in today's job market. This is my contribution toward ALL of us reaching the realtime goal.



My Steno Wizardry concept is based on the idea that writing realtime actually doesn't require magic -- just hard work, determination, and a little bit of FUN imagination.



My hope is my sharing of the ideas I've incorporated into my realtime journey will assist you in yours.



Tuesday, March 3, 2026

⭐ Let’s talk about two tiny words that carry massive power in your writing: DO and DID.

 

 On the surface, they seem simple. But in testimony? They are everywhere.

Look at how much ground you cover just from these families alone:

DO phrases

  • TK O → do
  • TK O U → do you
  • TK O UF → do you have
  • TK O U PB G → do you think
  • TK O U RP L D → do you recommend

DID phrases

  • TK → did
  • TK U → did you
  • TK UF → did you have
  • TK U PB → did you know
  • TK R O FR B GT → did there ever come a time


Notice something powerful?

✨ The structure is consistent.

✨ The patterns repeat.

✨ One small vowel shift changes tense — and multiplies your output.


When you master these phrase families, you’re not just memorizing outlines. You’re:

• Building reflexes

• Reinforcing question structure

• Training tense control

• Increasing realtime flow

• Reducing hesitation at high speeds


In depositions, trials, and Q&A-heavy material, these combinations fire constantly:

“Do you recall…”

“Do you understand…”

“Did you go…”

“Did you ever see…”

“Did you tell us…”


When these are automatic, your brain is free to focus on the unexpected material instead of the predictable scaffolding of questions.

That’s why drilling DO/DID phrases isn’t busy work — it’s skill stacking.

Small words.

High frequency.

Huge return on investment.

This week, challenge yourself:

✔ Write them in drills.

✔ Write them in dictation.

✔ Practice switching DO → DID instantly.

✔ Feel how little movement changes tense but keeps the pattern intact.

You are building speed through structure.

You are building confidence through repetition.

You are building professionalism through control.

And that’s exactly how strong realtime writers are made.

Keep stacking the wins 💪


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