A contact with a point of a touch input component of a computing device can be sensed. A continuous contact from the point to a different point on the touch input component can be detected that is caused by a first slide based motion of a contact instrument maintaining contact with the touch input component. A first input character associated with the slide based motion can be determining based at least in part upon a direction of the slide based motion. A second slide based motion of the contact instrument can be detected from the different point to another point, wherein the contact instrument remains in contact with the touch input component during the first slide based motion, during the second slide based motion, and between the first and second slide based motion. A second input character associated with the slide based motion can be determined based at least in part upon a direction of the second slide based motion.