:( Without really realizing it (that ^ what you just explained), i had adopted that approach/method throughout a large part of my academic career. Long/short: - after undergrad, i entered grad school for an MS degree in the sciences - after getting the MS i continued for a PhD For any familiar with grad work in sciences, it's filled with public speaking. At regular lab meetings, at local, regional, international conferences... During the presentation ("defense") of your MS and PhD research. Every single one of those presentations i HAD TO type out - word for word (WORD FOR FREAKING WORD; from: "Good morning, my name is... to... thank you, are there any questions?") and then memorize!! Like they were lined in a 15-45 min monolog! My poor wife would be an audience of 1 while i recite "my lines" while she turned pages (back in those days, it was either REAL slides!! or overhead sheets). All those hours.. and hours, etc.. "wasted" - i say wasted because I simply had to do it to get over my horrible fear of public speaking (whereas others could just "wing it"). I don't say "wasted" because it wasn't necessary... it was ESSENTIAL for me to get through that period of my life/early career. Now - i no longer have a fear of public speaking (even though stutter/stammer/blocks are still very regular). And, ironically enough - am a college prof... and public speaking is pretty much one of the main funtions at my job!