My Favourite Free Top Tip for Better Writing
Get rid of your keyboard.
This may seem a radical step but I promise you it will make you a better writer.
Everyone says, "write like you talk!"
I always used to tell newbies that they should
"Imagine that you are leaning on your kitchen doorjamb. You are standing there completely relaxed talking to your friends in the kitchen. You have a beer in your hand. You are not concentrating on what you're saying, because you're talking about something you are happy to talk about with friends.
Record these words
This sounds awesome in theory ... but how do you actually do that in practice?
Because even if you read your copy aloud, you're still typing it at the beginning...which means it's not exactly how you would say it even after you edit it.
So I started looking for ways to ELIMINATE the keyboard altogether from my writing.
And I found two different ways of doing it.
One free and one paid
A. Record yourself making a pitch or saying copy for an email or an article into your phone's voice recorder and then transcribe it back.
Originally has been the source of many of my best emails and hooks.
Or...
(If you have a bit of money to spend)
B. Try this cool software called Dragon made by NUANCE which will allow you to speak into your phone or computer and transcribe what you say with 99.99% accuracy.
I use it all the time. Partly because, to be fair, I am a carp typist.
And it's a SUPER powerful way to get the "stiffness" out of your copy and start making your writing sound WAY more conversational way faster.
Pro tip: It will also dramatically improve your writing speed because you can talk WAY faster than you talk. This will apply even if you are a super fast and accurate typist.
Recent Comments
57
Sharing about the Dragon software is a top tip. I need one desperately. My typing is worst than yours.
Hahahahaha.
My birthday is right around the corner.
Who is going to get me a Dragon?(please everyone don't raise your hand at the same time!)
Take care Catherine😊.
Maxine
Dragon speak is a great! There is a learning curve, what you say is not always the word typed...lol.
They do have a wizard tool that hears your voice and will recognize your style of speaking.
Oh, and don't forget to put it in sleep mode if you answer rhe phone....a friend of mine who is an avid dragonspeak user, once forgot to stop dragon before answering the phone...grin.
I have the dragon set up, and think I will attempt using it again.
Rudy
I constantly do that answer the phone and then have 2000 words of gibberish in my written text. Hey that is not the end of the world. Fortunately when I use zoom or Skype they don't like Dragon and all three throw a hissy fit, so I have to turn the microphone off. I certainly recommend that you attempt to use it again and keep correcting yourself. Eventually gets the message for most things
That's true it does, for me the problem is I wasn't speaking freely about the topic.
That is what I need to work on.
Rudy
That is practise it wasnt easy for me a zillion years ago when I became a professional writer but I had to learn fast
That’s a cool tool to use. Thanks for sharing. This is helpful for people with stiffness in hands or carpal tunnel syndrome. That works well with people who can hear and have good speech skills. Siri doesn’t understand me. The recordings don’t understand me either. I used Dragon software before, it didn’t understand my speech. If I could hear well and have good speech, I would use this software for sure. Meanwhile, I have to keep my keyboard and type away.
Brenda I have to say although I have used it for over 10 years it is only the Dragon 15 that has that pinpoint accuracy. Another factor you have to take into account is that when you start to dictate into Dragon 15 you have to correct it. The more you correct it the more it will understand you.
There are times it still trips up on my accident and if I say but, it always comes out as bot, and it doesn't matter how many times I keep changing it however it is something I am aware of. It's all to do with having a very pronounced Mancunian accent
Yes, I realize that UK pronunciation sounds different. One tool I hope to see is an artificial intelligence video software that can translate sign language into written words.
For all Deaf and Hard of Hearing seeing eyed people in different countries or continent to use a developing relay video software to contact hearing people or places of business.
The Deaf community here in the States for American Sign Language now using a video relay call. We sign to the translator on video, I sign ASL on video, translator voices to the caller who can hear, then the translator signs back to me what the hearing caller says. That technology we use daily. DeafBlind users have a different technology available for them. For UK, it’s British Sign Language (BSL) users use SignVideo relay. Awesome technology for us.
While Brenda wouldn't that be absolutely awesome artificial intelligence video software that can translate sign language into written words wow that would be incredible. Thank you for popping by and contributing this valuable information.
It will be a great day when deaf people will have the same opportunities as those that can hear. In fact it will be a great day when all disabilities do not restrict people in any way
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I've heard about Dragon, Catherine! I use good old pen and paper before it ever hits the computer, but I've wanted to try voice to text, but last time I checked, it was a bit pricey for my current budget. Also, don't say you are a "carp" typist! That sounds a little fishy to me!🐟🐠🐡
Jeff😉
I think it's about $120
Oh, that's not as bad as what I had read, Catherine! Thanks for the info!
Jeff