Thank you for this great video. I've been dictating my books for several years now. It definitely helps A LOT! Instead of editing myself as I write or second guessing what I write, I just dictate the ideas out of my head once and for all. After I've dictated everything I want to write, I have the text transcribed, and that's where I start to edit and polish... NOT DURING the writing process. Thanks to dictation I've gone from producing MAYBE 2000 words per day to over 30,000 words per day (post edit) Dictation works for writers! If there's anything I can add to this video's discussion, it's this: BE CAREFUL about how you get your dictation TRANSCRIBED I've tried many different methods and it took me a while to find the solution that best works for me 1) Software like Dragon Naturally speaking or phone-based apps have to be trained and you often have to slow down to make sure the software gets your text that it can DERAIL your train of thought. 2) Software transcription systems also need PUNCTUATION prompts which are a hassle if you have a HOT IDEA and you want to get it out before you forget all its parts. Good luck doing that with software that requires verbal punctuation prompts 3) Outsourcing to upwork or fiverr- this can be a nightmare wince so many people don't know the first thing about transcribing SIMILAR SOUNDING words (homonyms) and they end up picking the wrong OUT OF CONTEXT word... so I had to check for transcription errors - kind of defeats the purpose of dictation, right? 4) Manual transcription agencies - I've tried a few but the ones that worked best for me are cognoplus and gt - I like the flexibility of gt but it is a bit on the pricy side. CP bundles transcription with proofreading/editing and formatting 5) Self-transcription - I find myself second guessing what I've written when I transcribe my own stuff. It's like I'm back to Square One - kinda defeats the purpose of transcribing. Regardless, if you're' going to dictate your books, blog posts, articles, etc. you need a solid outline. The best part? You can dictate your outlines too!
I can't afford any of these software or hardware. I just have my phone. I use Grammarly keyboard, great for word prediction and synonyms. I use google voice to text software for getting it on google docs or word. I include speaking the punctuations when dictating so it helps when editing. Most times similar sounding words are hard for the software to take in but I edit my work after I have written everything, so getting it transcribed is a step that I don't need. Going over it again while editing allows me to check the flow of the story and then I can start dictating again and it converts everything to text which I edit myself. This is a great way for me to practice both my writing and editing on my phone. I typed this sentence and I am too lazy to edit it for mistakes.
I am a testament to the fact editing what you write stops all forward progress. I am stuck in chapter one on a 55,000 word manuscript and cannot get past my errors in chapter one due to my inner critic. Do not worry, folks. Editing is for when the draft is done. (Eat your own words Mr. Copple!!!!!!!!!!)
Dictation is so much more helpful to me, not just because I can go faster, but it gives my wrists a rest. I went through a time when my forearms and wrists hurt so much from typing and crocheting, beading and things I do. Dictation is wonderful. Thanks for this information!
This video popped up in my feed and decided to watch it again. I remember wanted Christopher's other book on Dictation so grabbed it. Also for dictation, I have a very old version of Dragon and want to get a new one, but currently I am using Google Docs dictation tool. Works very well if you have a good internet.
I agree with his reasons for boycotting social media; I do the same. If I ever actually finish the book I'm writing, it's good to know marketing is possible without social media.
Hi Joanna and Christopher! Thank you so much for this video. I'm a beginning writer and this video helps me a lot. Today I started with Scrivener. This week I'll go to work with Dragon and a memorecorder. You inspired me, thank you so much!
Fantastic! Thank you! I have slowly gotten into dictation and the last few books have been strictly dictation. I feel like I've finally switched my brain over to where dictation is more comfortable than typing. But, I've been dictating right into Word! I'll look into getting the little recorder like Christopher had. I haven't looked at show notes, but I hope the info on his setup is in there. Thanks again!
Sounds like you're light years ahead of most. That's awesome! PS Here's what I use: a.co/a4yt4gD a.co/8ITkLUC a.co/5nEDEwP The recorder downloads and recharges via USB, which I like. Cheers!
I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but what helped me, Jo is using the "go to sleep" command. It pauses the dictation. It eliminated that pressure and allowed me to think. I know it seems a little counterintuitive to what Christopher is saying, but it eventually helped my flow and word count.
I just downloaded Christopher's book and went to Amazon to buy a digital voice recorder and headset and...GOOD GRIEF! There are a lot of options and variables! I couldn't find the show notes, either. I'd love some suggestions, please! I'm excited to get started!
Show notes are here: www.thecreativepenn.com/2018/07/30/foolproof-dictation-christopher-downing/ The podcast is always on a Monday but the video is on a Sunday, so you get the interview first but the show notes a day later :)
I think part of the reason I'm a writer is because I find expressing myself verbally difficult. But dictation is something to think about for the future. I also mute people on Twitter. I've only blocked a couple of people on it and that's because they're nasty
That's what I am doing too. Currently managing 2500-3000 words per dictation session, then the next morning cleaning it up with an editing pass, before doing another dictation session.
I have been doing this. My Dictation sucks and I I have to heavily edit until it is readable, however, it far more efficient and productive with my time than any other way. I have written 16k in a week when breaking 2.5k would have been a challenge. I am going to use the Rich text format, Word is a little funny with dictation.
Great podcast. I also like how he's managed out social media though I am little disturbed about writers posing as genders/demographics that they are not...
I'm conflicted by what I'm about to say but...it's different when a white male writer poses as female (or a Chinese poet in one famous instance) than when a person "neutralises" their name just to get their foot in the door. From a minority perspective it's like "hey, you've already got the cards stacked in your favour in so many ways, why are you doing this too?" p.s. bought Downing's "Foolproof Outline", and I agree, his questions are fantastic.
First part is about dictation and from 30:00 onwards is about not using social media.
Thank you for this great video. I've been dictating my books for several years now.
It definitely helps A LOT! Instead of editing myself as I write or second guessing what I write, I just dictate the ideas out of my head once and for all.
After I've dictated everything I want to write, I have the text transcribed, and that's where I start to edit and polish... NOT DURING the writing process.
Thanks to dictation I've gone from producing MAYBE 2000 words per day to over 30,000 words per day (post edit)
Dictation works for writers!
If there's anything I can add to this video's discussion, it's this: BE CAREFUL about how you get your dictation TRANSCRIBED
I've tried many different methods and it took me a while to find the solution that best works for me
1) Software like Dragon Naturally speaking or phone-based apps have to be trained and you often have to slow down to make sure the software gets your text that it can DERAIL your train of thought.
2) Software transcription systems also need PUNCTUATION prompts which are a hassle if you have a HOT IDEA and you want to get it out before you forget all its parts. Good luck doing that with software that requires verbal punctuation prompts
3) Outsourcing to upwork or fiverr- this can be a nightmare wince so many people don't know the first thing about transcribing SIMILAR SOUNDING words (homonyms) and they end up picking the wrong OUT OF CONTEXT word... so I had to check for transcription errors - kind of defeats the purpose of dictation, right?
4) Manual transcription agencies - I've tried a few but the ones that worked best for me are cognoplus and gt - I like the flexibility of gt but it is a bit on the pricy side. CP bundles transcription with proofreading/editing and formatting
5) Self-transcription - I find myself second guessing what I've written when I transcribe my own stuff. It's like I'm back to Square One - kinda defeats the purpose of transcribing.
Regardless, if you're' going to dictate your books, blog posts, articles, etc. you need a solid outline. The best part? You can dictate your outlines too!
I can't afford any of these software or hardware. I just have my phone. I use Grammarly keyboard, great for word prediction and synonyms. I use google voice to text software for getting it on google docs or word. I include speaking the punctuations when dictating so it helps when editing. Most times similar sounding words are hard for the software to take in but I edit my work after I have written everything, so getting it transcribed is a step that I don't need. Going over it again while editing allows me to check the flow of the story and then I can start dictating again and it converts everything to text which I edit myself. This is a great way for me to practice both my writing and editing on my phone. I typed this sentence and I am too lazy to edit it for mistakes.
I am a testament to the fact editing what you write stops all forward progress. I am stuck in chapter one on a 55,000 word manuscript and cannot get past my errors in chapter one due to my inner critic. Do not worry, folks. Editing is for when the draft is done. (Eat your own words Mr. Copple!!!!!!!!!!)
Dictation is so much more helpful to me, not just because I can go faster, but it gives my wrists a rest. I went through a time when my forearms and wrists hurt so much from typing and crocheting, beading and things I do. Dictation is wonderful. Thanks for this information!
This video popped up in my feed and decided to watch it again. I remember wanted Christopher's other book on Dictation so grabbed it. Also for dictation, I have a very old version of Dragon and want to get a new one, but currently I am using Google Docs dictation tool. Works very well if you have a good internet.
Thanks, John, and yes, all the online dictation tools have got a lot better!
I agree with his reasons for boycotting social media; I do the same. If I ever actually finish the book I'm writing, it's good to know marketing is possible without social media.
Hi Joanna and Christopher! Thank you so much for this video. I'm a beginning writer and this video helps me a lot. Today I started with Scrivener. This week I'll go to work with Dragon and a memorecorder. You inspired me, thank you so much!
Glad it helped :)
Fantastic! Thank you! I have slowly gotten into dictation and the last few books have been strictly dictation. I feel like I've finally switched my brain over to where dictation is more comfortable than typing. But, I've been dictating right into Word! I'll look into getting the little recorder like Christopher had. I haven't looked at show notes, but I hope the info on his setup is in there. Thanks again!
Sounds like you're light years ahead of most. That's awesome!
PS Here's what I use:
a.co/a4yt4gD
a.co/8ITkLUC
a.co/5nEDEwP
The recorder downloads and recharges via USB, which I like. Cheers!
The coffee break was hilarious! Thanks for the video, interesting stuff about dictation.
It was funny :)
Way funny. Lesson learned. ;) Glad you found the interview interesting, Priscilla!
I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but what helped me, Jo is using the "go to sleep" command. It pauses the dictation. It eliminated that pressure and allowed me to think. I know it seems a little counterintuitive to what Christopher is saying, but it eventually helped my flow and word count.
That definitely works when dictating straight into Dragon, but I just use the Pause button on my Sony device while I think about the next sentence!
Hmmm.. Then you upload it and it translates. I've not tried that. Maybe I'll give it a go! :D
It bypasses critical voice as per the discussion with Christopher. I am loving it!
oh my i'm so glad i found you
This just makes me motivated to start using dictation again. I totally have to check Christopher’s book out!
It's a great book - and since this interview, I have got back into dictation as well :)
Great news! I hope you stay it this time. Enertia is a terrible thing in this business.
I just downloaded Christopher's book and went to Amazon to buy a digital voice recorder and headset and...GOOD GRIEF! There are a lot of options and variables! I couldn't find the show notes, either. I'd love some suggestions, please! I'm excited to get started!
Show notes are here: www.thecreativepenn.com/2018/07/30/foolproof-dictation-christopher-downing/
The podcast is always on a Monday but the video is on a Sunday, so you get the interview first but the show notes a day later :)
From the book does it seem like his system would work for people in an iOS only environment?
Seth Drebitko I don't use iOS, but it doesn't appear to be operating system specific. It should be fine.
I think part of the reason I'm a writer is because I find expressing myself verbally difficult. But dictation is something to think about for the future.
I also mute people on Twitter. I've only blocked a couple of people on it and that's because they're nasty
I go over/edit the last writing I did and find that that helps warm me up.
That's what I am doing too. Currently managing 2500-3000 words per dictation session, then the next morning cleaning it up with an editing pass, before doing another dictation session.
I have been doing this. My Dictation sucks and I I have to heavily edit until it is readable, however, it far more efficient and productive with my time than any other way. I have written 16k in a week when breaking 2.5k would have been a challenge. I am going to use the Rich text format, Word is a little funny with dictation.
Definitely use RTF! I've had nightmares with Word and Scrivener before! And I agree on the word count. Really moves things forward.
This was extremely helpful. Thank you, Joanna :)
Glad you found it useful :)
Please do more on selling without marketing!!!
Creating a lot of books is still marketing as well as selling :)
I just happen to know the equipment. Here ya go:
a.co/a4yt4gD
a.co/8ITkLUC
a.co/5nEDEwP
PS I had a lovely time, Joanna. Thank you!
Helpful bold different
Great vid. Really helpful. Thanks.
Chris is that a Finnish painting behind you?
Hi Does anyone know the actual Sony device he uses or can recommend one? Many thanks
I use this one for my dictation - www.thecreativepenn.com/sony
Christopher also covers equipment in the book.
Thank you!
Here's what I use:
a.co/a4yt4gD
a.co/8ITkLUC
a.co/5nEDEwP
The recorder downloads and recharges via USB, which I like. Cheers!
Great podcast. I also like how he's managed out social media though I am little disturbed about writers posing as genders/demographics that they are not...
Many authors write under names that imply other genders, or with initials that are gender-neutral. It's common practice!
I'm conflicted by what I'm about to say but...it's different when a white male writer poses as female (or a Chinese poet in one famous instance) than when a person "neutralises" their name just to get their foot in the door. From a minority perspective it's like "hey, you've already got the cards stacked in your favour in so many ways, why are you doing this too?"
p.s. bought Downing's "Foolproof Outline", and I agree, his questions are fantastic.