When I'm writing fiction, I curl up in this strange contorted position where I couldn't see the keyboard even if my eyes were open. So I keep my eyes closed and my fingers moving. With non-fiction, I'm at the desk, eyes wide open.
I will give you that, but the point I was making with "any sort of proficiency" was that if one desires to be able to write without being encumbered by "wheretheheckisthenextletterIneedonthekeybaord?!?!" If you want to be able to get your thoughts out and be clearly understood, both require some level of formal education You cannot be your own teacher. Someone has to teach you (even if it is by way of books and computer programs), otherwise, you would be the teacher and these questions would not even be an issue.
Three years ago I randomly decided it was something I wanted to learn, as I had absolutely no other skill to my name at the time. There is a fun program called "Bruce's Unusual Typing Wizard." It starts you off slow, just with J and F and some tips. An important trick is starting at the first lesson each time, so you don't get frustrated when it throws X and capital Z at you. After two 2-hour sessions a day, four days a week for three weeks, I was able to type without eyeing the key-mistress.
I learned to touch-type in high school... in an actual typing class, with actual typewriters. it's a lot easier now that there's a backspace key... as to whether I look while typing, it depends. I never look at the keyboard, unless I'm really tired, in which case I shouldn't be trying to write seriously anyway. I usually look at the output of what I'm writing as I write. if I have a good flow going, I'll sometimes stare off into space instead.
It's certainly much easier for kids that have grown up with computers as standard at home and school.
This sounds a lot like how we were taught to type at school, only we had old manual typewriters and then moved onto clunky electrical ones. We had to start with out fingers on the home keys and then type at the teacher shouted from the front of the class, fff jjj ddd kkk sss lll aaa ;;; So monotonous but it worked for most of us.