by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Sometimes the whole world seems to work against your getting any writing done.
You know the kinds of weeks or months I’m talking about. The story doesn’t cooperate. Your schedule goes haywire with unexpected stuff popping up. Kids come home sick from school. There are activities all hours of the day and night.
So we keep plugging on, writing when we can. But sometimes we want to try to make up for lost time.
I’m a big proponent of don’t try to catch up. Start each day trying to reach that day’s goal, not the day before or the week before, or all the other goals you’ve missed. Just focus on the goal of the day—you’re not behind.
But some days, I still want to try to make up for less-productive days. I’ll squeeze in writing when I can.
I’ve gotten to the point where it’s less-often that I try new ways to approach writing. But sometimes I run across ideas that work better than expected.
I’ve used voice recorders in the past to talk through plots or record ideas on the go (sometimes literally on the go as I drive long car trips.) But I’ve never actually used them to dictate my story before.
I have used voice recognition software and still use it from time to time when my carpal tunnel acts up. I did find, though, that it trips up over my Southern accent sometimes and it distracts me when I see the words coming up wrong on the screen. I did use the Southern accent setting on the software and I have trained it to recognize words that it’s missed before—but it wasn’t perfect, just a helpful tool when I’ve got a messed-up arm (which happens more often than I’d like.) At the price (I purchased Dragon, Naturally Speaking for around $50), you could give it a try and see what you think.
When I don’t have any carpal tunnel issues, I’m a very fast typist. For some reason, it didn’t occur to me to dictate my stories to transcribe, myself, later—until I read a post by writer Katie Ganshert recently: “The Secret to Writing Fast and Furious.”
As Katie put it:
The beautiful thing about this method is that it completely silences the dreaded internal editor.
There’s no back space. There’s no flashing cursor. There’s no blank page. There’s no critical little man sitting on your shoulder, reading each sentence while tutting and shaking his head.
There’s just a red record button.
Katie was able to dictate 25,000 words in three days, using a voice recorder and then typing the results.
My numbers were lower than Katie’s, but still pretty good for supplementary writing. I averaged about 1,000 words in only minutes before I needed to run off and do a carpool or go to an appointment. Since I was supplementing writing I’d already done that day, it just added to my word count.
Now, my internal editor was still present, unfortunately. Not only did she make me say, “Scratch that,” about three or four times each recording, but she also told me that my Southern accent stood out particularly strong when I was recorded (my teenage son hastened to agree with my internal editor.) But I’ve managed to ignore the internal editor and continue on.
I don’t use this method every day. But I’ve found that if I use it several times a week, it’s really pumped up my word count. Interestingly enough, I tend to make minor corrections (stronger verbs, better diction) when I type in the dictation…so I guess, in a way, I’m editing as I go when I use this method.
I use a free app that I downloaded on my phone. My phone is always with me (moms are the world’s emergency contacts), so I’ve always got my voice recorder with me.
Have you ever used either voice recognition software or voice recorders? What other methods have you used to increase your word count?
I’ve tried this before and got stuck on the errors, Dragon is not too keen on Aussie accents either. But I’ve been rushing around so much lately, I’ll try again. Sounds like a great way to get those ‘extra’ words!
I really want to try to use Dragon sometime, but haven’t yet.
I’d never thought about voice recording and transcribing though – brilliant! I’ll have to try it!
I don’t know much about using voice recognition software or voice recorder as a writing tool but I am sure it must be very handy while driving or travelling. I guess a voice recognition software saves the trouble of transcribing i.e listening and typing out the spoken words or sentences at the same time, as one might with a dictaphone or a mini tape-recorder. I have heard that “accent” plays a big role in VRS devices.
Elizabeth – So sorry to hear that the CT gremlin sneaks around your house.I honestly think it’s an occupational hazard for a writer. To be honest, I haven’t used VR software for my own writing, although I have used it a few times for other things. I do think speech-to-text technology is exciting and really useful. And it does really help one get a whole new perspective on a story. Speaking uses different kinds of thinking from writing and it’s so helpful to VR software taps those different kinds of thinking.
Charmaine –It sure is. Or, if you’ve got a phone, try a free voice recording app. You might even like that better, if you transcribe quickly.
Carissa–I do like Dragon, but really only when my arm is ailing. The voice recorder is very handy, free, and works nicely. :)
Prashant–It’s VERY nice when driving. There’s a trip I take several times a year to see family, and it’s about a seven hour drive. When I talk into a voice recorder, I’d have these great brainstorming sessions while I drove (my kids would be listening to movies with headphones on, so I wasn’t disturbing them). Now that I’m using it for dictation, I could really make some headway on my story. Yes, the voice recognition software (which I think Dragon is still the industry leader for), just saves us the trouble of typing. But I’m such a fast typist that it doesn’t bother me to transcribe my own dictation–as long as the stupid carpal tunnel isn’t acting up (I guess CT is the plague of our high-tech society! Too much time on the keyboard for me….) I don’t think my accent is very strong (at least, I’m told it isn’t), but VRS tends to find it so.
You’ve inspired me. I’m going to try out some voice recording on my afternoon commute today. It’s been a little awkward every time I’ve tried dictation, but I don’t think I’ve ever really given it a shot. I give up too quickly. We’ll see how it goes.
No, I haven’t used voice recorder, but it’s intriguing. I just finished reading my draft aloud to a trusted friend and it was immensely helpful to hear the words spoken. Thanks for this, Elizabeth
Karen
Elizabeth, thanks for the explanation. I have heard of voice recognition software being mentioned in newspaper circles, in a lighter vein, though—the joke being that the poor fellow would have a hard time recognising the hundreds of dialects and languages spoken in hundreds of accents in India. To put it mildly, I think the industry leaders are still trying to master the various accents of the English speaking world. Would some wrist exercises help ease the CT?
Prashant–Ha! Oh, I can imagine. Tough here in the US, too…so many dialects, accents…not so many as in India perhaps, though!
Yes, definitely–wrist exercises help. And it might also help if I stopped ignoring signs it’s getting bad and rested it. I tend to ignore, ignore…and then have a bad few days. Sigh. I’m trying to be more proactive and use the stretches I’m supposed to. I’m just headstrong.
Hi Elizabeth – I may well try Dragon sometime soon … but my uncle bought a dictaphone recorder – my idea: in that I hoped he’d record some of the things we (many of the next generation – as they had no children) would like to hear and read about … but no – he did use it for little snippets pertinent to their time … I have the transcriptions – but they weren’t memories that I’d hoped he’d write – c’est la vie!
But I know I ‘write’ much better in my head, or the bath, or the car … so the dicataphone will come in handy when I find it! It is my intention to use it …
Great advice .. and tape recorders for jotting notes down – phones do that now —
Cheers Hilary
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Margot–I thought you might be able to weigh in on this, being a linguist! I don’t know the science behind it, but it doesn’t surprise me that it uses a different part of our brain when we dictate. I’ve been pleased with the results so far.
CT–yes, an occupational hazard for sure.
Hilary–Oh, that’s too bad! Good to hear his voice again, but too bad that he didn’t focus on memories you’d hoped. I’ve had much the same experience. One of my grandmothers had a diary from when she was a child. But it was all about skipping rope and how much she’d skipped rope! I do keep a diary (don’t write in it often enough), but I try to include a variety of different things in it.
I *think* of myself as someone who writes better on paper/Word file, but I seem to write just as well while dictating..I guess I was just limiting myself by thinking of myself as writing only in a particular way.
Phones have so many applications these days!
I have thought about doing that, especially with the hours I spend in my vehicle. I talk my way through a whole book in a week.
Diane–For commuters and folks who travel as much as you do, it does make a lot of sense.
Connie–It’s definitely awkward because we have to get past the way we *sound*. I think somehow hearing it on a device is a lot different than hearing our voice in conversation. But getting past that, it’s easy. The free app that I downloaded for my Droid phone is called “Smart Voice Recorder.” It skips the silence and only records when I talk. So I can sit there and think in the middle of a sentence and it doesn’t record the dead air.
Karen–Now that’s interesting. I hadn’t thought of it as an editing device, but you could really use it that way, too. We could read the completed chapters into a voice recorder and play it back later. That’s a very good idea.
hmmmm…I may give this a try. I’ve never tried to write this way, but it could be a huge boon to getting that first draft down. I can, however, see myself at parts saying something like “Here I need to write something to transition them to the next scene.” Even so, it would still be a help for those things I already know. Thanks!
My dad is much more a talker than a writer and he is using Dragon to write a non-fiction book. I tell him to start recording every time he’s talking to me on the phone to tell me about the stuff in the book so he can use it later. I’m the opposite: I don’t think I could dictate a story, but I have it in my head and write it down. I do love the recorder on my smart phone though for “jotting” down ideas.
I’ve never used any sort of voice capturing devices for writing, but it’s a very interesting idea.
At least in my case, I tend to “free form” ideas in my head, but some things tend to get lost in translating them to writing/typing.
Definitely something to keep in mind…great post.
Considering how slow I type, I should try it.
Danny–I think it’s the kind of tool that will be more helpful for some writers than others, definitely. Glad it’s working so well for your dad! I create better on paper…I *believe*. But that may just be personal mythology I dreamed up because I’m making trackable headway with this other approach. I’ll say that I *prefer* writing on the computer/longhand, but I’m surprised how quickly I can “write” while dictating the story. A nice surprise!
Mark–Theoretically, anyway, the act of transcribing your dictation could work for you. I found that I edited myself when I was transcribing (which I never do when I write on a Word doc.) So maybe it would help you find those thoughts that didn’t come out with the dictation.
Alex–Dragon was made for writers like you!
I tend to not do well changing writing style. It took me a year to stop handwriting and start typing. I type wicked fast, so I think I’ll stick with that.
Ciara–Yes, don’t change what’s working! For me, I just reached the point where I needed to shake things up a little. But most of my writing strategies work for me and I don’t change them without a good reason. :)
Carol–Exactly. I’ve said some filler type stuff in the voice recordings already. Then, when I’m transcribing, I just mark that spot with a ** to find it again after I finish the first draft.
Both Windows and Mac have free built-in voice recognition tools. The one on Windows 7 has impressed me (I came at it with low expectations.)
It took some training, and I have very practiced careful diction. It’s not a perfect tool, but it’s a free way to experiment.
Some folks will always be better at typing or scraping with a pen than at speaking. I’m a natural speaker. I’m frustrated that I can’t dictate my mysteries to Best Beloved the way I do my non-fiction. She types as fast as I speak (when I’m pacing) so the biz books are a breeze.
I would think Dragon would get all mooshy at a Southern drawl. I know I do. Dumb program doesn’t know a good thing when it hears it.
I broke my heart with a voice recorder. While I was working on one story, a second popping into my mind, demanding attention. So I simply dictated second one, with the intention of transcribing it when story one was finished. I had three months of dictation, the entire story worked out, including some very complex plot points.
Then I lost my recorder.
Joel –Yes, my husband keeps pointing that out and I haven’t tried it! I guess I thought I might have better results when I paid something, instead of trying what was bundled in with an OS. Silly. I’ll give it a go.
I *think* I’m better on paper/computer. But that might be my imagination. I’m certainly *faster* when dictating.
Dragon does *not* get mushy. Dragon tells Word that I’ve said all kinds of appalling things that would not be good in a cozy mystery. :)
LD Masterson —Oh my Lord. That just sent chills going up and down my spine! Did you try to piece it together again (oh, gosh, I’ll have nightmares.) No, I don’t ever get that far ahead on the voice recorder…I’m paranoid about losing work, though, and back up my work a couple of times a day or more (I know…sounds a little crazy! But I get paid in advance and would hate to have to pay that money back…since I’ve already spent it…ha!)
Elizabeth, thanks so much for suggesting dictation. I’ll have to give it another try.
By the way, sorry to hear about your CT. With me it’s my shoulder. I hope that, perhaps, using dictation when I need to rest will help me become more productive. Thanks again! :)
Great post. I used DNS for years on PCs and then changed to Dragon Dictate on my Macs. Was unhappy with the change initially, but quite pleased now. And I max out Siri whenever I’m driving as a way to grab those “clever crumbs” that would get away otherwise. Three cheers for voice! :-) Thanks for tackling this topic.
Karen–Give it a go. If you have less of an accent than I do, then Dragon may work very well for you. And voice recording apps are very helpful, too.
I think you did a great post on CT recently, as I recall. Yes, resting it, doing stretching exercises…those are all really helpful. :) We just need to listen to our bodies…which I don’t do often enough.
virtualDavis–The best part is the convenience, isn’t it? Especially using our phone to capture those elusive ideas!
When I’m writing, I make so many changes as I go that I’d probably go nuts trying to get something spoken. I don’t think I ‘hear’ when I write as much as I ‘see’ it appear on the screen. And what about punctuation, and tags, etc? Don’t you have to tell the software to put them in?
I can see using it to do what I normally do with sticky notes, though. Remind me that if the cell phone’s not going to work in chapter 17, I’d better go back and break it in chapter 11.
Terry
Terry’s Place
Now I’m going to have nightmares about lost stories.
As a technical geek, I live by the mantra “If it’s not backed up, you might as well delete it now.”
Paranoia CAN be your friend.
Garrison Kiellor tells a story about the idea he had BEFORE Lake Wobegone. He said everything he’s done since pales in comparison; at least, he thinks it does. He wrote it all down on a legal pad, promptly forgot it, and then when he was in the gents’ at the airport, someone stole his bag.
He’s waited decades for the story to come back, and it never has.
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