HOW A CELLPHONE CAN HELP YOU WRITE

I don’t recommend this as anything other than a last resort or if you are too scared to sit down and write the thoughts in your head. That’s what happened to me.

I working through a section in my most recent manuscript and I was dealing with a situation that is one of my biggest phobias. As I sat in front of the keyboard trying to write the scene, I was so terrified I kept squirming in the chair, literally (and I do mean literally) worked into a minor frenzy. I couldn’t write it! So I took to my back up option, my smart phone.  Using the dictation feature, I was able pace my office and talk myself through the portion. Maybe I’m a certifiable chicken, and maybe I’m admitting it for everyone to read, but I found a work around.

I don’t recommend anybody dictating a novel length manuscript using their precious Android or Apple, but the beauty of a smart phone is it is always handy. Most of us sleep within reach our device, most of us talk all day long, but how often do you hear about some using their phone as another tool in the writing arsenal.

I’ve tried dictation programs and even own a digital record for just that function. However, I realized something crazy. The voice recognition on my phone seems to work better. Try it for yourself! Here are a couple quick tips to get the most out using you phone for dictation on the go. These are things that worked best for me.

1. Try to Find a Place that’s Quiet
In effect, you are generating a text file from a recording, so the less background the better. Less noise equals a more accurate of your speech and is what you want.

2. Find a Place Away From People
Unless you’re shooting for performance art, you’ll probably better off in a place where people aren’t giving you strange glances or interrupting the flow of dictation. I found bathrooms and parked cars excellent possibilities.

3. Practice Using  the Feature
The more you use it, the more you’ll understanding your optimum speaking volume and speed. You’ll also get a rhythm for how your particular app or software works. For instance, I learned that my particular phone would duplicate all my words if I left too long of a pause).

4. Dictate in Your Text App or in an Email
I started off using a notes app, but switched to doing my dictation this way, because I could readily email it from either option.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to being able to redeem that tiny bit of time you might otherwise have frittered away.