How To Use Dictation Software To Write Your Book | Speak Your Book - Don't Type It! #BSI 13

Summary

In this video, Sasha demonstrates how to quickly and efficiently write a book using dictation software. By speaking your ideas instead of typing, you can maintain a steady flow and produce content faster, often reaching 150 words per minute. Sasha showcases tools like Dragon NaturallySpeaking and even smartphone apps, offering tips on minimizing editing distractions and managing punctuation. He emphasizes capturing ideas rapidly, then refining them through editing, making the process accessible for beginners and seasoned writers alike. The tutorial highlights practical strategies to transform spoken thoughts into a full manuscript while keeping the focus on speed, creativity, and productivity.

Takeaways

• 📝 Speaking your book using dictation software is faster than typing, allowing you to produce content at 150 words per minute or more.
• 💡 The main goal in writing a book is to get your ideas down first; editing can come later.
• 🎤 Dictation software, like Dragon NaturallySpeaking, transcribes your speech into text in real-time, minimizing interruptions.
• ⌨️ Using dictation helps maintain the flow of ideas, unlike typing where constant editing can slow you down.
• 📱 Even a smartphone can be used for dictation if professional software isn't available; text can be combined later.
• ⚡ Hotkeys can make starting and stopping dictation quick and efficient.
• ✍️ Minor mistakes or irrelevant words are normal during dictation and should be corrected during the editing stage.
• 🖥️ Tools like Sublime Text allow focus on writing rather than formatting or editing distractions.
• 🔄 The writing process involves multiple stages: drafting, editing, tweaking concepts, and refining examples.
• 🚀 Rapidly getting content onto the page accelerates the overall book-writing process and allows for faster iteration and improvement.
• 📧 Segmented dictation sessions can be compiled together by emailing or combining text from multiple devices.
• 🔑 Consistency in dictation practice helps develop a smoother and more productive writing flow.

Q & A

What is the main topic of Sasha's video?

The main topic is how to use dictation software to write a book by speaking instead of typing, which can speed up the writing process.

Why does Sasha recommend speaking a book instead of typing it?

Sasha recommends speaking because most people can talk faster than they type, allowing ideas to flow more freely and reducing the time spent on editing as they write.

What is the average speaking speed Sasha mentions compared to typing speed?

Sasha mentions that people can type around 75–120 words per minute, whereas speaking averages around 150 words per minute, and potentially up to 200 words per minute for fast speakers.

Which dictation software does Sasha use in the video?

Sasha uses Dragon NaturallySpeaking for dictating text into a digital document.

Does Sasha suggest that dictation software produces perfect results immediately?

No, Sasha notes that dictation software can make mistakes, but the goal is to get the ideas on paper first and edit later.

What alternative does Sasha mention for people who don't have dictation software?

He suggests using a smartphone's built-in microphone and apps, like email programs or text editors, to dictate content and then compile it later.

How does Sasha recommend handling editing while dictating?

Sasha recommends focusing on getting ideas down first without worrying about editing, then revisiting the text to remove mistakes, irrelevant words, and format paragraphs.

Why does Sasha prefer using Sublime Text instead of Microsoft Word for dictation?

Sasha prefers Sublime Text because it reduces distractions from editing features in Word, allowing him to focus solely on writing and capturing ideas.

What practical tips does Sasha give for using dictation effectively?

He advises using a hotkey to start dictation, speaking continuously without pausing for editing, and adding punctuation commands like commas and periods verbally.

What is the ultimate goal Sasha emphasizes when writing a book with dictation?

The ultimate goal is to quickly get ideas down in digital form so they can be refined, edited, and developed into a complete book efficiently.

How does Sasha suggest managing longer dictation sessions on a smartphone?

He suggests breaking the dictation into multiple segments due to limited memory or RAM, then emailing the segments to yourself and combining them later.

What additional benefits does dictation provide according to Sasha?

Dictation helps maintain the flow of ideas, reduces the time spent fixing typos while writing, and allows the writer to focus on content creation rather than formatting or editing in real-time.