I embraced many new things in 2018 that made my life sweeter. Wal Mart’s grocery service that allows you to order online, pull into a designated spot at the store, then drive off after an employee places your food in your trunk. Nexgen nail dip, the super polish that lasts for three weeks straight. My new milk frother, which I purchased after reading Tammy’s post.
Over the course of 2018, I also continued to embrace one thing more and more that I first experimented with in 2017: dictating my books.
It behooves us to avoid assuming we can’t do something until we give that something a substantial try, amen? And it behooves us not to think we have to continue doing something the way that we’ve always done it in the past, amen? I was pretty sure I couldn’t write a book through dictation… until I decided to try it and see.
At this point, I’ve written half the rough draft of Falling for You, the complete rough draft of Because of You (my novella in The Christmas Heirloom collection), the complete rough draft of Sweet on You (my next release), and half the rough draft of my current manuscript through dictation.
I love it! I clip my faithful Writer Dog to his leash and we head out together on dictation walks.
Sam and I power walk while dictating for forty-five minutes. At first, I tried a dictation app. But after a time, I decided that I’d simply open a new note in the Notes app on my phone, hit the microphone symbol next to the space bar, and start talking. While Sam and I walk, I speak scenes (complete with punctuation) aloud. My phone does the typing.
And, yes. I am worried that my neighbors think I’m nuts.
My dictation walks not only enable me to write several pages, but they get me outside in the sun and breeze. Best of all, they get me moving. I’ve written a post listing the reasons why I think writers, specifically, should attempt dictation. But I contend that anyone should give it a try. You can dictate emails, text messages, essays, grocery lists, to do lists, thank you notes, love letters, and whatever else might be helpful to you later.
It’s beneficial to remember that anything new takes practice. Also, anything you dictate will be rough. For one thing, you’re speaking it off the top of your head. For another thing, your phone’s speech-to-text software isn’t perfect. It will misunderstand you the way that Autocorrect misunderstands you. Even so, it’s much easier to edit a page full of imperfect words than to fill a blank page with new words.
When I return from a walk, I use AirDrop to transfer my dictated scenes directly to my computer. Then I cut and paste them into my manuscript.
The writing of the rough draft used to be my least favorite phase of the writing process. Now, it’s my favorite. You’ll no longer find me huddled indoors, staring at a screen, wondering what to write next. Now, you’ll find me outside with my dog, striding around my neighborhood, wondering what to write next while huffing and puffing happily.
Have you tried dictation? If so, what do you use it for?
Becky Wade
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Love this very practical post, Becky! I tried dictating my novels after your last post, and have enjoyed the ease it offers, and the break it gives my hands. I hadn’t realized the dictation capabilities of Notes, so I’m excited about trying this out – especially given Airdrop synchronization. Thanks, Becky!
My pleasure! I’m glad my last post inspired you to test it out for yourself, Carolyn. It never hurts to try!
What a great idea!! I use diction for texts and emails primarily, especially the longer ones. 😊 I love the idea of walking AND writing a book. I’ve recently gotten hooked on audio books and use my walks to listen to books.
Yes! Before I fell in love with dictation, I fell in love with audio books (I can now read while driving and doing my make up and cleaning!) and the Voxer app (I can now talk with friends whenever I have time without having to coordinate with their schedules!). I think my fondness for those two new-to-me things helped motivate me to give the new-to-me idea of dictation a try.
You’ve inspired me, Becky! I’m going to try it!
Hooray! I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts.
I’ve used dictation on notes before for story ideas when I’km away from my computer. I hadn’t thought to try it to actually write scenes. I will definitely add this to the things I’m going to try this year! Thanks for the encouragement.
Here’s hoping you can find a way to make it work for you, Rebecca!
It was so fun for my daughter and I to meet you this week at Tamera’s Dallas Event! Leianna is going to start reading your books on her Kindle (she LOVES to read!) and I’m going to start using dictation on Notes…or at least attempt to! Haha!
Have a blessed day and thanks for sharing such a great idea!
Julie
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you and your daughter, Julie! Tamera’s event was terrific. 🙂
I’ve been considering dictation. Thanks for the great info. 🙂
You bet! I hope dictation’s helpful to you, Melissa.
What a wonderful tool for you, Becky! I agree that we writers need to spend more time outdoors and moving, so your dictation walks sound like really smart idea. I am very cerebral as opposed to verbal (I don’t even read my books aloud when editing – I just listen to the sentences in my head), so I’ve never had the desire to try dictation, but I must admit that you have me wondering. I’ve used walking as a way to think through my story and decide where I’m going next. I think it’s the quiet. I can concentrate and yet give my mind the freedom to roam.
Yes! There’s something about the act of walking — even if you’re not dictating – that’s helpful when you’re trying to think through a story. I spend a fair amount of my dictation walks silently thinking. I’m usually quiet for the first 5-10 minutes. Occasionally, I end up spending the majority of the walk thinking and a minority dictating. But usually, I get the lion’s share of my day’s writing done during that walk. I rewrite the previous day’s pages before leaving the house, so I’m back in the story mentally and have a pretty good idea of what I want to happen next when I set out on my walk.
At first, dictating feels very odd. However, I’ve realized that the exact same skill is needed whether you type the words or speak the words. The skill is imagining the scene, the characters, the setting, the goals, the dialogue, and then organizing your imaginings into something cohesive as you funnel them from your brain. The only difference with dictation — you “write” through your mouth instead of your fingertips. 🙂
Becky, I’ve tried dictation before but it was with computer software so I was still “chained” to my computer. I’m going to try dictating into Notes on my iPhone. Sounds like a great way to get words on paper while moving about. Thanks for this post (and the book recommendation that was in your linked post).
I’d read your previous post on using dictation and was kind of skeptical it would work for me. I imagined a bunch of “uh..” in the recordings. But, you’ve inspired me to give it a shot! 🙂
I say “uh..” way too much when speaking, but tend to revert to simple silence when I’m dictating and need time to decide what to write next. Happily, my phone waits patiently and doesn’t seem to mind the awkward pauses. 🙂
You’re an early adopter of technology, Robin, so I’ll be interested to know how this works for you. In Dictate Your Book, they talk a lot about Dragon software and microphones and such. But that wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted dictation to work for me on the GO. When in the car pool line. While walking. 🙂
This is great encouragement! I’ve started dictating notes and reviews and the like, but haven’t tried it yet with writing scenes… Since I love going for walks but wish I did it more often, /and/ I know I need to dedicate more time to actually getting words on pages and out of my head, perhaps dictation will be just the thing! I really appreciate hearing how it’s worked for you – definitely moves me to give this a go!
I’m so pleased to hear that you’re going to give dictation a try, Bree! I hope it’s to you.
I’ve tried dictating on my computer. Have even thought about getting a digital recorder so I can ‘record on the go’ (which you then have to run the files through your dictation software.). But – I never really cared for it. Perhaps because it’s easier to think while *typing* on the computer. I mean, either way you have to sit here. But I can see, if you can do it via your phone, then copy/paste your results later, that’d be a LOT easier. If I actually had a phone, I think I’d give it another go. It’s as great idea to do it while walking the dog or something. Especially when the dog needs a good hour’s walk each day!
I do find ‘speaking’ my story aloud is. . .awkward. It sounds strange when I speak it aloud, especially dialogue. And because I tend to write more in the fantasy genre, they always hang up over names/place names, which can be annoying. (Supposedly you can train at least some of them, though.) But yeah, if you could be somewhere where you wouldn’t be worried about being overheard, it would actually be a great way to switch things up and keep the creative juices flowing.
Sheesh. Now I want a phone so I can try again. lol (Well, other reasons too. If I could figure out how to make a steady income, maybe I could get one. -.-)
The idea of dictating at home never really appealed to me, though I know that it works well for some writers. It was very much the prospect of writing *while walking outdoors* that caught my fancy. Writing is such an individual thing! What works for one won’t work for all.
Yep! Speaking the story aloud feels very awkward at first. I’ve gotten used to it now. But I agree with you… if you’re used to writing at the computer without uttering a word, it feels really odd to speak your scene when you first start dictating.;)
You’ve inspired me, Becky! Now I need to find your previous post AND figure out how to put ‘Notes’ on my smart phone. I’m a smart phone dummy=). However, I have always used my daily walks to either pray, memorize Scripture or create scenes for my novels. I think up the scenes–sometimes I get four or five ideas–and then I make up an acronym or initialism to help me remember what in the world I created until I can get back to the computer! But dictating sounds easier! Merci for the encouragement to try something new!
You’re welcome, Elizabeth! I’m so happy to hear that the idea appeals to you. It sounds like you’re already halfway there, since you’re used to using your walks to think about upcoming scenes.
I have a friend who recently moved to California and we try to leave dictated messages for each other every few weeks via the voice recorder app on the iphone. After recording, the audio file can be sent via text or email. It’s like leaving one long voicemail without taking up voicemail space. We get to hear each other’s voices but yet we can listen or respond when it is convenient for us. But I love your idea about dictating via note for writing. I want to try that!
Anne, the app called Voxer does the exact thing you’re describing! I love leaving voice messages for my friends. They can listen and respond when they have time. I can listen and respond when I have time. Plus, the voice messages are more personal than texts or emails.
I think my practice with Voxer helped open my mind to the possibility of dictation. If I could speak my thoughts to friends… maybe I could speak my scenes!
What a great idea! I didn’t realize you could dictate into Notes. I may give this a try and see how it works. Maybe I’ll start with house cleaning before I venture outdoors lol
Anything that makes cleaning even MORE productive is a win!
I’m glad dictation works for some people, but for me, something different happens to words going from my brain to my mouth as opposed to from my brain to my hands. They just come out differently, and it doesn’t matter what I’m trying to say, they just come out better for me through writing than speaking. Add to that the fact that I would die a thousand deaths if someone overheard me and, yeah, dictation is very much not for me. 😉
LOL! I understand. Dictation definitely isn’t one size fits all.
I really want to try this now! Staring at the blank Word document is my least favorite part of the writing process. Editing is actually my favorite part, so this sounds like a way to skip to the good part!