by Melynda Hill-Teter
Every first draft begins with words on a page and a plan. As a writer, I tracked story ideas, outlined plots, sketched scenes, developed characters, and logged worldbuilding details. But I reached a point where ideas and notes needed structure.
I wanted uninterrupted blocks of two to three hours a day at my laptop to make writing progress, but this mindset backfired, leading to procrastination. Writing ideas clicked into place, but I couldn’t find the time to write for a few hours a day.
Between work and long train commutes, I set out to build a consistent writing routine. That’s when I realized voice typing—or dictation—could help me start an outline or first draft. Basically, it’s talking into an app on a mobile device or computer and letting speech-to-text create your draft.
How Dictation Programs Work
Although language models have been around since the 1980s, the adoption of deep learning algorithms for speech recognition has dramatically improved performance over the past 15 years. Speech-to-text programs use deep learning models, training datasets, and artificial intelligence to convert spoken language to text. Over time, they adapt to each speaker’s voice, including accent, tone, pace, and preferred vocabulary.
Google Docs Voice Typing uses Google’s speech recognition AI, which is integrated with Google Workspace applications. Microsoft Dictate is built on Azure’s AI-powered speech engine and allows for dictation across Microsoft applications. Other options include Otter.ai, which converts speech into transcription, and Dragon Dictate, the first consumer speech-recognition software that allows users to dictate documents and emails and create individual voice profiles.
When choosing dictation tools, consider if the language model can adapt to your speaking style over time to improve accuracy, support regional accents, correct misheard words by voice or keyboard, and handle noisy environments or crosstalk.
Dictation apps use editing phrases: predefined voice commands that the app recognizes as instructions for modifying text. Editing phrases include: “add comment” to add a blank comment; “delete” to remove the last word; “new line”; “start list”; “em dash”; “new paragraph”; “comma”; “period”; “question mark”; “apostrophe”; and more.
These apps pause to capture audio before transcribing several words at once. The resulting draft often requires cleanup and formatting.
My Dictation Process
I use Word Dictation and Google Docs on my iPhone, but there are many note-taking options, such as Evernote, Notion, Microsoft OneNote, Google Keep, Obsidian, and Apple Notes.
Working in a quiet location minimizes the background noise picked up by a microphone. When commuting, I sit in a quiet section of the train, away from energized voices, which helps me feel less self-conscious when dictating in public. I speak directly into my iPhone to ensure clear audio capture. There are good options, such as Apple AirPods or wireless earbuds, if you don’t want to hold your device in your hand while dictating. And some people like to walk while dictating, since sitting may feel static.
On my iPhone, I turn on Do Not Disturb to silence notifications and calls before I begin. Dictating an outline is the first step to capturing my ideas. I then auto-save the draft to the cloud and fix a few misheard words by using the on-screen keyboard. I make sure to email the outline to myself as a backup. After the dictation session, I edit the cloud copy on my laptop to develop the next version.
I block off time on my calendar for writing while commuting and on weekend afternoons. Using Google Calendar, I schedule writing tasks for specific dates and times, such as outlining, to-do items, and next steps. At the end of the week, I revisit the calendar items to verify that I accomplished each task.
Workflow for Word Mobile Dictation
Estimated setup time: 15 minutes.
Purchase a Microsoft 365 personal license, then install and sign into the Word Mobile and OneDrive apps on your phone. This feature converts speech to text, requiring a microphone and a reliable internet connection.
To get started, open Word and tap the Create button, then tap the blue plus button to open a blank document. Tap the microphone icon at the bottom-right corner to start dictating.
To apply a heading style, place your cursor at the end of the heading, tap the three dots on the bottom toolbar, tap Styles, tap the heading you want to apply, such as Heading 1.
To clear formatting, place the cursor at the end of the line where you want to remove the formatting (such as a Heading style) and say “select that” and “clear formatting.”
To save time punctuating while in a live document with the microphone enabled, tap the gear button (bottom-left corner) and enable Auto Punctuation.
To auto-save your draft in OneDrive, tap More Options and enable AutoSave or Save.
If you accidentally close Word during a dictation session, you can find your draft by tapping Browse at the bottom-right corner of the Home screen, then Recovered Drafts.
Workflow for Google Docs Voice Typing
Estimated setup time: 15 minutes. Note: Google Docs uses the term voice typing instead of dictation.
Install the Google Docs Mobile and Google Drive apps on your phone. Your draft will be automatically saved in Google Drive once you sign into both apps.
To get started, open Google Docs and tap the bottom-right plus button to open a blank document. Tap New Document and name your document, and tap Create. To begin voice typing, tap the microphone icon on the on-screen keyboard.
To bold a word, touch and hold the word, tap Select > Bold on the formatting toolbar. To apply heading styles, touch and hold the heading, tap Select > Font (top-right corner). Under the Text group, tap the right arrow next to Styles, and select your heading.
To clear document formatting, touch and hold the word, tap Select > Font > Text > Clear Formatting.
To restore previous versions, go to Google Drive on a computer and open the document, then go to File > Version History > See Version History and select a version to restore.
Experiment with Your Process
This process might not work for everyone. Some people feel uncomfortable dictating, especially in public. Still, I found that dictating and editing helped move ideas out of my head and into an outline, a draft, and then a story. The key is to stay curious and keep experimenting until you discover what works best for your writing process.
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Melynda Hill-Teter holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and a Certificate in Technical Writing. She is a freelance writer with 20+ years of experience as an IT analyst, specializing in user support and Microsoft applications. Melynda is currently writing her debut novel, inspired by her grandfather’s intriguing claim that he invented FM radio and built a 1923 alpha radio set—one said to receive transmissions from the future.