After watching this, I realize the importance of visualization. The thing is that I can barely visualize anything. Instead I just repeated the story and tried to pick up the elements from there. I also wrote the character on every flash card rep so I think it ended up being a lot of rote memorization. I did 25 a day and remember it being tough. As you said coming up with stories is exhausting.
It's always interesting to hear from people with different "sensory preferences," for lack of a better term. I was lucky in that I was the book's target audience and it was still grueling. Did you just remember the story as just a string of words or was it more like audio playing in your head? I've been curious about alternate ways to apply Heisig's method.
I'm doing Remember the Kanji before even studying any Japanese grammar or vocabulary. I'm really enjoying it as an intellectual exercise in itself. It's nice to find someone that also vibed well with the book's methodology and Heisig's ideas. Nowadays when you read Japanese-learning communities (probably Mandarin-learning ones too) they either do a watered down version of Heisig's method or they just recommend doing vocabulary study right away. I understand why, at first it sounds really boring and non-sexy, but if you want to learn the language for the rest of your life then it's worth it to start right away with the hanzi/kanji. I''ve only done 10% of the characters so far, but I'll bookmark this video and watch again when I reach the part where I have to make my own stories. It was nice hearing about your experience finishing the book. Good luck with your Mandarin journey!
After watching this, I realize the importance of visualization. The thing is that I can barely visualize anything. Instead I just repeated the story and tried to pick up the elements from there. I also wrote the character on every flash card rep so I think it ended up being a lot of rote memorization. I did 25 a day and remember it being tough. As you said coming up with stories is exhausting.
It's always interesting to hear from people with different "sensory preferences," for lack of a better term. I was lucky in that I was the book's target audience and it was still grueling. Did you just remember the story as just a string of words or was it more like audio playing in your head? I've been curious about alternate ways to apply Heisig's method.
I'm doing Remember the Kanji before even studying any Japanese grammar or vocabulary. I'm really enjoying it as an intellectual exercise in itself.
It's nice to find someone that also vibed well with the book's methodology and Heisig's ideas. Nowadays when you read Japanese-learning communities (probably Mandarin-learning ones too) they either do a watered down version of Heisig's method or they just recommend doing vocabulary study right away. I understand why, at first it sounds really boring and non-sexy, but if you want to learn the language for the rest of your life then it's worth it to start right away with the hanzi/kanji.
I''ve only done 10% of the characters so far, but I'll bookmark this video and watch again when I reach the part where I have to make my own stories. It was nice hearing about your experience finishing the book. Good luck with your Mandarin journey!