How Writers Use Dragon Naturally Speaking
Voice Recognition Software That Helps Authors to be More Productive
A good many writers claim vehemently that they could never bring themselves to use voice recognition software. The very idea of dictating a book seems wrong. After all – writers write, they don't dictate!
However, there is a swing to using programs like Dragon Naturally Speaking. (There are various options, but Dragon voice recognition software has won many awards and positive reviews, so it's a good place to start.)
Who Uses Dragon Naturally Speaking Voice Recognition Software?
There are two broad groups of writers who do decide to give it a try. The first group are writers who want to increase their productivity (such as prolific writers of internet articles) and find that it's worth the time learning to use a voice recognition program because of the vast amount of time saved.
The second group find they can no longer spend hours at the computer typing because of a medical condition such as repetitive strain injury, back problems that curtail time at the computer, or deterioration in vision. Suddenly, they don't have a choice – it's either use a program like Dragon NS or give up writing.
One Writer's Story About Using Dragon Naturally Speaking
One such writer is children's author Sally Odgers. A decade ago, Sally developed tendonitis in both hands, and went from being able to type 10,000 words on a good day in 1999, down to around 1500 words by 2001. Sally tried everything from anti-inflammatories to acupuncture, and as a last resort stopped typing for a month. She was devastated to find that the problem returned within 24 hours of going back to work.
In search of a solution, Sally came across Dragon Naturally Speaking. She found that it didn't take long for it to recognise her voice, but she also decided that it was more suited to articles than to fiction: primarily because there is no dialogue in articles (Dragon requires the speaker to add all punctuation as sentences are dictated, and dialogue requires more punctuation than straight narrative.)
However, she admits that even using Dragon 6 – which was the version available when she first started using it – Dragon was over 90% accurate, and that rose to around 95% when Sally wrote "essay-style" English. Since Dragon currently claims (on its website) that there is a 20% jump in accuracy from Dragon 9 to Dragon 10, then authors might by pleasantly surprised at what they can achieve.
For those who are on a budget: it is possible to obtain earlier version – especially for sale on the Internet – but users must realise that the earlier versions didn't have such a high degree of accuracy, or quite as many features.
What do other writers think of the program? In the Dragon Naturally Speaking community, on the "I Speak Dragon Naturally" page, there are some interesting stories about how various people use the software. The Dragon home page has further stories from 2009 winners of their 'I Speak Dragon' competition.
Two Further Examples of How Writers are Using Dragon Naturally Speaking:
- Michelle Hill uses voice recognition software to facilitate oral history interviews in hospices. She says that the program saves her hours of transcribing.
- Jill Williams used Dragon NS to record an architect's site design ideas for a city park landscaping project, at a time when she was required to put together a presentation at short notice. She says "I was then able to observe, listen, and contribute some of my own thoughts, instead of spending all my time furiously taking notes."
It must be noted here that Dragon transcribes digital recordings of a trained voice. Writers should not expect to be able to record an interview, or record the voices of a range of subjects, and have the software interpret these seamlessly.
Training Voice Recognition Software
Dragon works quite well right out of the box, but users who invest 20 minutes in the recommended training will find it well worthwhile. It can also be set up for multiple users: simply establish individual profiles, so the software can interpret the dictated material correctly. A good quality headset with an attached microphone is essential to achieve the quality required for high accuracy. There is a microphone included in the "Preferred" version, but many vendors suggest an upgrade to a better microphone.
Tips on Using Dragon Naturally Speaking
- Use a high-quality sound card in the computer
- Use a high-quality headset with a microphone
- use a high-quality digital recorder
- Spend the recommended time training the software to work with the writer's voice
- Speak clearly, taking care not to slur words (although there is no need to speak extra slowly)
- Practice using the software on a daily basis while learning. The more it is used, the more accurate it becomes.
Users Should Compare the Different Dragon Naturally Speaking Products
Dragon offers different levels of the program to suit the user's needs. Most writers will find Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred to be a good option, but it's a good idea to go to the Dragon website and read the comparison of the different versions.
To many writers, dictating a story or an article will at first seem unnatural. However, keep in mind that once writers didn't feel 'natural' using a typewriter rather than a pen, either. Then it didn't "feel right" to use a computer. In this digital age, dictating a story is likely to become more and more popular. Certainly, for writers who earn money from writing many short articles for web-based content, Dragon Naturally Speaking could prove to be a lifesaver.
Dragon Naturally Speaking Helps Writers
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Spend Time Training Voice Recognition Software
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Save Time, Earn More With Dragon
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Use a High-Quality Microphone for Dragon
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