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Sounds like you need to learn proper typing form. Ergonomics are important for long-term health.
I type with all ten fingers but I'm also almost 40 and took typing classes as early as second grade, I haven't had to even think about form in decades.
typing classes where a thing in the 2,000s as well except we got to learn how to type well by shooting down asteroids
This sub may have been stupid before I joined, but it certainly isn’t straying away from it.
Your wrists should be raised and the palm of your hand slightly curved. Your fingers should be doing very little of the motion; most of it should be your hand and arm (I mean, physiologically, your fingers \*can't\* do any of the motion; they're just bone and tendon pulled by muscles further up your wrist. But if you drop your wrist to rest it on the keyboard and then move your finger, you're straining those wrist muscles that \*do\* move your fingers). Your hands should also be relaxed, and you should make sure you're facing the keyboard face-on.
I'm going to assume that you have a health issue that keeps you from using 10 fingers typing. Try looking into a wrist wrest or even braces.
"I am doing something wrong. Is it normal to have a different outcome to doing it correctly?" Just learn to type. Will take you a week max to develop proper typing habits. It's not a particularly challenging skill to adopt.
Learn your home keys, I use every finger I've got on a 40% keyboard. Also make sure your keyboard is at the correct angle for your wrists. I can type solidly for a few hours and then my fingers get tired before my wrists do. I did most of my writing on a typewriter (it was cheaper to get ribbon for a thrift store machine than a whole computer) so I went through a huge adjustment going to a pc/keyboard.
That's carpal tunnel syndrome. Get a pad from Amazon on which to rest your wrists. I promise you, it makes a huge difference.
I type with 10 fingers. Often I have used an ergonomic keyboard, where there is wrist support and slightly angled sides of the sets of left and right keys, like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Natural-Ergonomic-Keyboard-Business/dp/B079YZHFL1 It took a little bit of getting used to, but while I've been working now on my laptop, I will admit it's more natural to use that ergonomic keyboard. It can also be set upon your lap so that your shoulders are also completely relaxed.
Yes, maybe a typing course for hand placement, you don't want bigger issues later. Now if anyone can suggest anything for the burning pain between my shoulder blades when I am on a roll, I would appreciate it. I was thinking of that posture holder thing...
There are a bunch of free programs available if you want to learn touch typing. It’ll only take you a few weeks if you put some time in every day. Before I learned touch typing, I used maybe 4 fingers all on one hand, and I didn’t have any pain after long writing sessions.
https://www.typing.com/student/lessons
Use this. Typing using 10 fingers is a massive improvement.
I can't imagine trying to type out a novel one finger at a time.
The issue is not writing with 10 or less fingers, but you have an ergonomics proplem.
Alternatively (ro complementary) you have an underlying medical condition that — on its own — is not causing you trouble, but as soon as you start working with a keyboard, it triggers pain.
In either case: ask a professional. An ergonomist and/or a physical therapist.
To help them, I suggest setting up your phone to record snippets of how you work, otherwise they pretty much have to visit you in order to diagnose what is wrong with your work posture.
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Now you may be thinking: "I want to try out things myself first, before I ask a professional."