The faster you write, the more books you can publish and the more money you can make. The average human can type about 50 to 60 words per minute, but most authors write much slower than that. At 50 words per minute, you could write 500 words in 10 minutes and 3,000 words in an hour. At that pace, you could complete a 120,000-word book in a 40-hour work week.
I know authors who can write that quickly, or even faster, and almost all of them use the same technique: dictation. Typing is very different from storytelling, but dictation aligns more naturally with the way we tell stories.
We have been telling stories our entire lives. When my oldest daughter turned two, my wife and I went on a date. When we returned, we heard her tell her very first story: “Mama, Dada, go date. Mama, Dada, come back. Me, cry, cry, cry.” It was simple and nonlinear, but it was storytelling. And it perfectly matched the account we had heard from my in-laws, who watched her.
My children still tell stories to each other all the time. Storytelling with your mouth is the natural way to communicate. Once you connect your ability to speak with your ability to tell stories, you unlock the ability to write exceptionally fast.
What keeps authors from using dictation?
Most authors freeze up when a microphone is in front of them. They assume they are the only writer who can’t use dictation, but in reality, they just don’t know how. That is unfortunate, because while the average person types at 50 words per minute, we speak at about 150 words per minute; that’s three times faster!
Imagine being able to write three times as many books in the time it normally takes you to write just one.
Our guest today is an expert in dictation. Sarah Sawyer is an award-winning inspirational author, speaker, and Choctaw storyteller.
What was your first foray into dictation?
Sarah: My first attempt was before 2013, but in 2013, I gave it a serious try. I had just gotten my first smartphone, and one of the first things I did was download Dragon Dictation because that’s what all the authors were talking about. Every time we went to Office Depot, I would check the software aisle. Dragon was around $700, and I thought, maybe someday I’d invest in it.
I was worried, though. What if I couldn’t dictate? What if I couldn’t get fiction to come out of my mouth after making that huge investment? So when I got my first smartphone in 2013, one of the first apps I installed was Dragon Anywhere. I dictated a few sentences and proudly posted them on social media. I thought, this could be epic. And it was—an epic failure.
I couldn’t get the technology to work well on my phone, and couldn’t get fiction to flow out of my mouth. So, I gave up. I thought my brain just didn’t work that way, and for the next seven years, I tried and failed to dictate my fiction.
Thomas: I feel like Dragon is to dictation what the CD was to audiobooks. CDs were terrible for audiobooks. Cassette tapes were better in every way; they were longer, they kept your playback position, and the higher fidelity of CDs didn’t matter because you couldn’t tell the difference in a well-recorded audiobook on CD and one on cassette.
Many people tried Dragon at some point, but the experience was awful. You had to dictate the punctuation in addition to the words. That’s not true dictation or storytelling. It’s some strange activity where you have to say things like “new sentence, period,” and it breaks the flow.
People still think that’s what dictation is today, but it’s totally changed. Now the software built into your phone is a better dictation engine than what cost $700 back in 2013.
How do you handle punctuation in dictation?
Sarah: I never used Dragon after that. I didn’t buy the software or keep using it on my phone. That was my last experience with it. But I do want to push back a little on punctuation, because I speak my punctuation and I teach authors to do it.
Yes, it feels awkward to say “period, new line, question mark, close quote,” but there are reasons for it. When I was starting, I used record-and-transcribe apps that didn’t have auto-punctuation, so I had to speak my punctuation. Later, I found it helped me write cleaner drafts because I was in control of where punctuation went.
Especially for fiction authors, punctuation is part of our style and voice. We might put a comma where auto-punctuate wouldn’t. Speaking my punctuation helped me preserve my voice.
In terms of storytelling, we don’t normally say the punctuation, but once I trained myself, I didn’t have to think about it any more than I think about pressing shift and question mark or hitting return when I’m typing. Speaking punctuation has become natural, and so has speaking my fiction.
I encourage authors to try it in my trainings. But I also tell them if they prefer to use auto-punctuate, that works too. They can always go back later and adjust punctuation where needed. Either way, the story gets written.
Thomas: Don’t let punctuation or sentence structure keep you from trying dictation. We just rolled out a new tool in the Patron Toolbox that we’ve been using internally for blog applications of these episodes. We take raw transcripts and blogify them. There’s still a lot of human editing, especially for Novel Marketing, but the tool helps. Now our Patron Toolbox patrons can paste a raw transcript, and the tool will divide it into sentences, add correct punctuation, and fix common homophones.
You’ll still need to edit your book carefully, especially in terms of voice and style. But for getting the rough draft out of your head and onto the page, dictation is so helpful. Even if you add punctuation as you go, it will still be dramatically faster than typing. Most people don’t realize how slow typing really is.
What are the benefits of dictation over typing?
Sarah: I worked hard on my typing speed. I practiced exercises, timed myself, and even got a Neo AlphaSmart and later a Neo 2. I loved pounding on those keyboards without worrying about damaging my laptop. At my fastest, I averaged 1,500 words an hour, sometimes hitting 2,000. I thought I was doing great, but that was my limit.
Even though I speak slower when dictating, I still average 3,000 words per hour and have done as many as 4,000 words in an hour. That’s double my typing speed, and I’m not even trying to go fast.
Dictation has impacted not only my speed but also my health. Many authors come to me for health reasons—carpal tunnel, surgeries, neck or back issues—and dictation helps them keep writing.
Thomas: It also allows you to write while moving. Sitting in a chair all day is bad for your health, as my doctor reminded me.
Sarah: Exactly. It helps with wrist, neck, and back health. I know authors who walk while dictating, which is great for creativity. Personally, I need to be still, so I usually sit in my big chair and dictate first thing in the morning. My fastest sessions are when I’m lying in bed, completely relaxed, almost like telling myself a bedtime story. That’s when the words flow best.
Some authors type in bed, but that still strains the neck and shoulders. Dictation removes that physical strain.
How does dictation affect editing?
Thomas: Another advantage is that it improves your editing. When you review a dictated draft, you’re seeing it with fresh eyes. You told the story, but you haven’t seen the words on the page yet. That distance helps prevent grammar blindness. By the time you get to your third draft, it feels more like someone else’s second draft because you never actually saw the raw version as it was created.
Sarah: That’s so true. Audiobook narrators often prefer manuscripts created with dictation because the sentences flow more naturally. It makes narration smoother and the dialogue more realistic. Readers also benefit because the story feels more like someone telling it aloud.
With typing, you see the words as you write, which makes you less objective. With dictation, you can separate creation from revision.
I’ve used three main methods:
- Record and Transcribe, which I used for nine books.
- Live Transcribe, Watching the Screen (dictating directly into Scrivener).
- Live Transcribe, Not Watching the Screen (dictating directly into Scrivener).
If you don’t watch the screen, then when you edit later, it really is like looking at a fresh page.
Thomas: When I first got into audio recording, many apps would show the waveform in real time. It looked cool, but I found I couldn’t say anything intelligent while staring at it. I became self-conscious. Eventually, I realized radio hosts don’t see the waveform. The producer does. Once the levels are set, it doesn’t matter.
The same is true with dictation. If possible, I recommend not looking at the words. Get lost in the story. You’ll often be advised to “write like you talk.” With dictation, you can literally do that. Your voice becomes your writing voice. Authors spend years trying to get their writing to sound like their speaking, but with dictation, it happens naturally.
But what if my brain just doesn’t work with dictation?
Thomas: Some authors say, “I’m different. My brain doesn’t work that way.” What would you say to them?
Sarah: That was me. I couldn’t get fiction out of my mouth. I even have a sign over my desk that says, “I know I’m in my own little world, but they all know me here.” Speaking your words aloud feels vulnerable. We create these fictional worlds and revise them many times. I usually go through at least four drafts before anyone sees my work. Speaking that first draft feels like someone is eavesdropping, even if no one else is in the room.
You already have questions. Is this good? Am I a real author? Can I create these story worlds? Even authors with dozens of books feel that way. Speaking the words makes the vulnerability worse.
One way to ease that is to use a headset and listen to music or white noise on another device so you don’t hear your own voice. That can help with the transition.
Another way is to combine typing and dictation. Type some, then pause and dictate a few sentences, then go back to typing. You can train your brain gradually until dictation feels as natural as typing.
For me, I usually dictate first thing in the morning without my glasses on. I open Scrivener, start dictating, and I know it’s working because I see movement on the screen, but I can’t see the words or any errors. That helps me ignore mistakes and just keep going. I recommend that authors do the same and avoid watching the words.
At the same time, experienced authors are used to seeing words appear as they type. Making the transition can feel strange. It may cause a bit of a freak-out, but over time, dictation becomes as natural as typing.
What if dictation makes me slower?
Thomas: One thing to keep in mind is that you won’t be faster at first. That’s a downside of how I framed this episode, since dictation is often presented as a way to double your speed. The primary benefit is not speed but writing more naturally, like how you talk.
When people try dictation, they’re not faster initially. They think, “It doesn’t work for me.” But the reality is they just haven’t learned the skill yet. It’s like riding a bicycle. If you need to be at work at 8:00 and someone says, “Ride a bike, it’s faster,” but you don’t know how to ride a bike, you’ll get there quicker by walking. Riding the bike won’t work for you—yet.
You don’t learn to ride a bike on your way to work with a deadline. You learn on a Saturday afternoon, when you can practice for fun. The same is true of dictation. Don’t start with a big book under a deadline. Start with a short story just for fun and with no pressure.
When my daughter first learned to ride, she rode in circles. That was enough because riding itself was fun. Later, she wanted to go places. The same will happen with dictation. Once you’re comfortable, you won’t be content with practice stories. You’ll want to write your real projects this way.
Dictation is also an ancient method of writing. People have dictated stories for thousands of years. Many books of the Bible were written by dictation. If you want to hear more about the history, listen to our episode on How to Write a Novel Faster Using Dictation Software.
Writing with dictation is both very old and very new.
Which software and hardware do you use to dictate?
Sarah: The scary part for many authors isn’t speaking the words but the technology. We already talked about Dragon. Everyone thought they had to make this huge investment, train the software, and hope it would work. It was expensive and frustrating. Some authors think they also need a $100 microphone and a soundproof studio.
I didn’t use Dragon beyond my first trial. Instead, I’ve written all 14 of my books with dictation on my phone. My first attempt was on an iPhone SE, later an iPhone 6. In those early days, my dictation would cut off after 30 seconds, which was a common issue on both iPhone and Android devices.
At the time, I was doing freelance copywriting and already had a voice record app for interviews. That app added a transcription option for $5. I tried it, and it worked. I thought, what if I use this for dictation? Long story short, I wrote nine books with that method.
I wouldn’t recommend that app now because with newer phones, it misses sentences. But other apps like Easy Voice Recorder work well. On Android, you also need the Easy Transcription app, and the two work together reliably. The exact performance depends on your device, but you can record your dictation, save the file, transcribe it, and copy it into your notes app. That would sync with my Mac, and then I’d paste into Scrivener. It was clunky, but it forced me to write forward without second-guessing myself.
When I got a newer phone, I tried the built-in dictate function again. This time it didn’t cut off after 30 seconds. I could keep going for 10 or 15 minutes, and that changed everything.
Thomas: That’s an iOS 18 feature. They really improved dictation quality and features. Now you can dictate straight into the Pages app, and it syncs with your Mac.
Sarah: Exactly. You don’t need to duplicate my system. Use what you already have, whether PC, Mac, iPhone, or Android. All devices have built-in dictation as part of their accessibility features. Anywhere you can type, you can dictate, whether it’s Word, Google Docs, Pages, Notes, texts, or emails. You can get started for almost nothing.
I did eventually buy Scrivener for iOS, and I sometimes dictate directly into it. Other times, I’ll dictate into an email and send it to myself. There’s always a way to make it work.
What kind of microphone do you need for dictation?
Sarah: A lot of authors think they need a special mic setup. I have a podcast mic and arm, which you recommended, and I use it for interviews and podcasting, but never for dictation. Most of the time, I dictate using my phone’s built-in microphone. I hold my phone close or rest it on the arm of my chair. The technology is so good now that it filters noise far better than it used to.
I do have a headset mic for when I want to be completely hands-free, like while washing dishes, but most of the time, the phone mic is enough.
Thomas: AirPods work too, and they’re wireless. But remember, dictation is not the same as recording an audiobook. For audiobooks, you need a high-quality mic and sound treatment. Dictation only needs to be intelligible, not beautiful. If your transcription has a lot of errors, then you might need to upgrade. But intelligible speech is a low bar, and today’s AI tools are excellent.
We use Descript (affiliate link), which is designed for podcasters. It has apps for iOS and Android. You can record and export straight into Word. There’s no recording limit. It’s partly owned by OpenAI, so it has a very good and expensive engine built in. It does cost more, but it’s worth it for quality and convenience.
Sarah: Audio input does affect dictation. Cleaner transcription may require a better program or mic, especially in noisy environments. Some authors dictate while kids are running around, and it still works. But if you struggle with errors, consider investing in better tools.
There are many paid and free options. Scrivener uses your device’s built-in dictation. Google Docs has its own, which is best used in Chrome. You can even play music while dictating in Google Docs, which is fun. Everything behaves a little differently depending on your device.
How do I edit my dictated draft?
Sarah: Expect messy drafts. Even when I typed, my first drafts were messy. Dictation adds another layer of cleanup. I recommend that authors do their cleanup immediately after a writing session. It’s not editing; it’s just fixing dictation errors, stumbles, or missed words.
Some authors now use ChatGPT for cleanup. I haven’t personally, but I know many who do. Just be careful with how you prompt it. Cleanup time is part of the process.
Dictation is faster overall, but you need to budget time for cleanup. My first dictated scene was about 1,500 words in 20 minutes while I was doing dishes before an appointment. The transcription took me 30 minutes to clean up. That equaled about 1,500 words per hour, the same as my typing speed, so at first, I wondered if it was worth it.
But over time, cleanup became much faster. What used to be a 50/50 split is now more like 90/10. If I dictate for 55 minutes, cleanup takes only 5–10 minutes. That comes from training, better tech, and better techniques.
Ultimately, don’t let tech stop you. You can find a method that works and start dictating today.
What new tools can help with dictation?
Thomas: I built another tool for the Patron Toolbox called Chapterizer. It’s like a dictation cleaner. The Chapterizer takes rough dictation transcripts and transforms them into clean, ready-to-edit book chapters. It fixes punctuation, capitalization, and obvious transcription errors like homophones, correcting “there” to “their” based on context. Additionally, it removes stutters, filler words, and even formats dialogue.
My goal with this tool is to let you get lost in your story. You don’t have to worry about punctuation or distracting errors. The best part is that it preserves your exact wording and voice. It doesn’t rewrite anything or insert additional information. It just makes your draft look like you typed it yourself.
Apple recently announced the AirPods Pro 3 with a new voice isolation mode. I’ve seen demos, and it’s like magic. It removes loud road noise and produces crystal-clear voice recordings. If you have AirPods Pro 3, you should get near-perfect transcriptions in almost any environment. For Android, the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 also made a big leap in recording quality from the first version.
Another app worth checking out is Just Press Record. It works on iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, and iPad. It’s a one-time $5 purchase. It uses Apple’s built-in engine, transcribes your recordings, and syncs them across your devices. For $5, it’s worth trying.
Sarah: One of my senior students dictates on her Apple Watch.
Thomas: Just Press Record works on the Apple Watch, which can connect to AirPods. Recording directly from the watch may be tricky since your hand moves so much, but with AirPods, the audio quality is much better. Dictation keeps getting easier and faster, with every iOS and Android upgrade improving the process.
How do authors overcome the mental barriers that keep them from trying dictation?
Thomas: The bigger challenge isn’t the technology; it’s the technique. The apps are simple. Everyone already knows how to talk to their phone. The real barrier is psychological. Authors freeze when they try to dictate stories. So let’s talk about those mental barriers.
Sarah: I’ve seen authors with more than 150 books still struggle with dictation. In fact, it can be harder for experienced authors because they’re so used to sitting at a desk and typing.
Thomas: It’s like a speed walker trying to learn to ride a bicycle. They already move quickly, so why switch?
Sarah: Exactly. One author told me he could type 5,000 words an hour, though his wrists sounded like cement mixers afterward. With dictation, he could hit 5,000 words an hour without the strain. Dictation matches the speed of imagination.
The challenge is that experienced authors have deeply ingrained routines. They want to try dictation while walking the dog or exercising. But then they freeze because it feels unnatural. My advice is not to change your writing routine at first. If you normally write at your desk, then sit at your desk with your phone, do your usual rituals. Review your outline, read your last chapter, light your candle, and then dictate.
You can also ease in gradually. Start typing your story, then pause and dictate a few sentences, then go back to typing. Some authors type and speak at the same time to get used to hearing their voice. This helps connect the brain and the mouth so that fiction flows naturally when speaking.
How can authors lower the pressure of learning to dictate?
Sarah: Don’t start with your main work in progress, especially if you’re on a deadline. The pressure will make your brain resist. Instead, write something low-stakes like a short story, a flash fiction piece, or an outtake scene. I call it a throwaway story. It gives you practice without stress.
When I first learned to type, I didn’t begin with new fiction. I transcribed stories I had already handwritten. That let me practice the mechanics of typing without the pressure of creating. You can do the same with dictation. Read aloud from a story you’ve already written. This approach allows you to test your tech stack, experiment with apps, and train your brain to hear your own voice without performance pressure.
This is one of the first exercises we do in my Dictation Bootcamp. Authors read a prewritten piece into the dictation function on their device. It removes the fear and builds confidence.
Dictation is a new skill, like typing or riding a bike. Most authors won’t activate the function and immediately produce thousands of words. Some can, but most need practice. Be patient with yourself. Give your brain time to adjust, and let dictation become a skill that develops gradually.
How can I practice dictation?
Thomas: Another thing to try is finding someone to talk to as you tell the story, a physical representation of your Timothy. This is easiest with children’s books because kids love listening to stories. I have a children’s story I’ve probably told 200 times because my kids kept requesting it. Eventually, it became nearly word-perfect. I tried tweaks, got feedback from my kids, and decided to capture it. I recorded myself telling it, included all the little elements, and now the story is written. It is a five-minute story. I do not know if I will publish it.
Speaking to an audience is a common radio technique. In talk radio, there is often someone at the table for the host to talk to, a physical stand-in for the audience. Even if no one sits across the table, there is always a producer on the other side of the glass. Radio hosts are almost always talking to the producer. Part of the producer’s job is to look like an interested listener, to nod, to look engaged or confused. That helps because radio is strange. You are talking and must be interesting the whole time for an audience you can’t see. But realizing there is an audience is powerful.
Do not write this off as a technique only for children’s books. Adults want to listen to stories too, and they are easy to find at your closest retirement home. If you say, “I am an author and I am looking for folks to listen as I tell a story for the first time,” I would be shocked if they did not have a list of people who would love to listen. Having a real person, an avatar for your Timothy, can help. For some of you, this will be a terrible idea, so take it or leave it.
How does oral storytelling connect to authorship?
Sarah: I had training as an oral storyteller. I am a tribal member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. We used to attend the Five Tribes Conference for oral storytelling. It was for adults, though many also told children’s stories. They would hold an audience for 10, 20, 30, or 40 minutes. It was a performance, and it was beautiful. That training helped my dictation because I practiced using my physical voice, which also preserved my writing voice.
Thomas: I love that you have oral storytelling training because it is an ancient practice that almost every people group uses. The Vikings had skalds. Some cultures had bards. Herodotus performed his histories. Homer recited his poems. That activity has been mostly lost in the modern age, which is sad because the longing for it remains. Children first fall in love with stories by hearing them, not reading them. People still want to hear stories.
Seeing book authorship as an extension of oral storytelling is good. It is helpful for us to get training in that direction, which is a perfect segue. Tell us about your Dictation Bootcamp (affiliate link).
What is Dictation Bootcamp?
Sarah: I love the Dictation Bootcamp because it allows us to be live and face-to-face. Learning a new skill can be solitary, and many authors walk away from dictation thinking, “I am the snowflake. It works for everyone else, but not for me. I cannot get my phone to activate. I cannot get fiction to come out.” That is why I created a live event where authors can see and hear each other. We have a private Facebook group where they share struggles, successes, and tool tips for different devices.
The bootcamp is a four-day live event. We kick off with a pre-party. It starts on October 14. Each day we have a Zoom call. I teach for about 30 minutes, then send you off with an assignment. Information is not transformation. You need to implement it. The assignments are easy first steps. This is not advanced training, but if you are new, have gaps, or have tried and failed, you’ll get four days of training for $37. It is geared to fiction authors, though nonfiction authors often join and benefit. The focus is on making the transition from typing to speaking your fiction.
Thomas: If you have been dragging your feet and still have not tried it, do the Dictation Bootcamp (affiliate link).
Thomas: For nonfiction, here are two hacks. First, prepare a speech for each chapter and deliver it to one or two people or a free audience. Record it with a lapel mic and then run it through a tool to clean and shape it before editing. Second, start a podcast and do an episode for each chapter. For many people, knowing they are doing a podcast is psychologically easier than talking to a blank screen.
The most important thing is to try it and keep trying. Do not expect to ride the bicycle right away. When my daughter first rode a bike on her own, she fell, but she was thrilled. Dictation can unlock writing for you and increase your profitability.
Connect with Sarah Elizabeth Sawyer
Inside this live Dictation Bootcamp, you’ll get to:
- Learn how to use what you already have to start dictating fiction
- Be surrounded by a supportive group of fellow authors who are also taking their first steps
- Build a skill that will help you create a sustainable fiction writing career
Yes, with dictation, you may end up writing faster. But better still, you’ll write more consistently and with less strain. Writing doesn’t have to burn you out. It doesn’t have to hurt your body.
Join the Dictation Bootcamp now (affiliate link) for $37 and gain the freedom to write anywhere, anytime.
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