Updated January 2026
Have you heard writers tout the benefits of dictation, but haven’t considered it because dictation is too awkward, too slow, and too disruptive to creative flow?
I thought the same thing until a repetitive strain injury from typing too much forced me to use dictation to continue my work as a freelance writer and author. My resistance fell away as I did quick research on the best tools and tips for dictation and discovered authors reporting writing up to 5,000 words an hour through dictation. Eager to save my poor fingers and write MORE in LESS time, I jumped in. I doubled my output on day one. And I’ve nearly tripled it since.
How much more could you produce if you could double or even triple your writing output without spending more time at your desk? If you write 1,000 words in an hour, and could now have 2,000 or 3,000 words, would it be worth it?
Or what if you could write those 1,000 words in 20 to 30 minutes, freeing up another 30 to 40 minutes of your day? Would that be worth it?
The best news is that you probably already have everything you need to get started. If you have a smartphone, tablet, or computer, you already have access to dictation tools that can dramatically change how fast you draft your romance stories.
And if sitting and typing is difficult because of pain, fatigue, injury, or time constraints, dictation may not just be faster, it may be the most sustainable way for you to keep writing.
Why Writers Resist Dictation
Even writers who are curious about dictation often hesitate to try it. Some of the most frequent concerns include:
- Feeling awkward or self-conscious about speaking out loud
- Worrying that the prose will sound sloppy or unpolished
- Believing dictation is “cheating” or not real writing
- Discomfort with hearing your own voice
I won’t lie, dictation is different, but it is something you can get used to. Many writers, myself included, have found that once they get past the initial awkwardness, dictation becomes not only faster but easier. Like everything else in life, the more you dictate, the better you get. You find your sweet spot for speaking and develop a system that works for you. The resistance fades as your confidence grows, especially when you see how much you can produce in a short amount of time.
Why Dictation Works So Well for Writers
Most people type somewhere between 40 and 70 words per minute, which translates to 2,400 to 4,200 words per hour. Note that this is typing without stopping. When writing, there are lulls, so the actual words produced by authors in an hour are usually fewer (I’m only at 1,800 to 2,000 words per hour when I’m typing first drafts).
However, most people speak at a rate of 120–160 words per minute (7,200 to 9,600 words per hour, but like in typing, you’ll have lulls, so actual output will be around 3,500 to 5,000 words per hour).
You can see, though, how the difference in output from typing to dictation can instantly increase your drafting speed.
But speed isn’t the only benefit.
Dictation:
- Keeps you in storytelling mode instead of editor mode
- Reduces hand, wrist, neck, and shoulder strain
- Encourages a more natural, conversational narrative voice
- Makes it easier to push through messy first drafts
For writers who tend to overthink sentences while typing, dictation can be especially freeing. When you’re speaking, you don’t have time to polish every line; you just keep moving forward.
“But Dictating Isn’t Really Writing”
I remember an audience member saying this to me when I did a dictation workshop at a writer conference. Did you know that when the typewriter was invented, some said that wasn’t writing either?
So what is writing?
Writing is a process of communicating thoughts and ideas in a readable form through the use of symbols. Historically, pen and paper were used. Later typing and paper. Next were computers, and sometimes paper, but sometimes screens (like you’re reading this on now).
If “writing” is about getting thoughts in your head down so someone else can read it, does it really matter how those thoughts land on the page, whether it’s pen, typing, computer, or dictating?
When dictating, the words that end up on the page are your creation. It doesn’t generate your thoughts. It doesn’t produce the words. It simply changes the method you use to get words onto the page.
Tips for Smooth Dictation
Dealing with awkwardness
For many writers, including yours truly, the first hurdle is getting over the awkwardness of speaking your book out loud. The only way to do that is to dictate. And then dictate some more. And some more. Your goal is to get out of the awkward-mindset and into your creative mind. But you can only do that by dictating. Doing it even though it feels weird. Doing it until your creative brain triggers and pushes the awkward aside.
Step 1: Outline Before You Dictate
While you don’t need to have a full outline of your story, your dictation will go faster and smoother if you know what scene(s) you want to write when you start (just like when you sit to type). I have a paragraph or bullet points that tell me what’s going on in the scene. I reference them as I dictate.
Step 2: Speak Clearly and Tell the Story
Tools are very good today, so if the dictation fails, it’s usually user error. You’re either speaking way too fast (although you don’t have to speak slowly), or you’re not enunciating.
Dictation works best when you talk through the story naturally. Describe action. Say dialogue. Move forward even if the wording feels imperfect (just like when you type).
Depending on the software you use, you may need to speak your punctuation. The most common commands are:
- “New paragraph” or “New Line”
- “Comma”
- “Period”
- “Open quote… close quote”
Yes, it feels awkward at first. Most writers stop noticing it within a few sessions, in the same away you don’t have to think about hitting the return key or period key when you type. You just do it.
Step 3: Do Not Edit While Dictating
While you can use commands like “undo” to edit while dictating, I recommend that you leave it and fix it later.
You can dictate yourself notes, including what to change if something isn’t coming out right, things you want to delete or revise, and more.
Just like when typing, first drafts should focus on getting the story down, and not on a polished manuscript. Keep going. Fix it later.
Step 4: Dictate in Focused Sessions
Again, like typing, work in focused sprints of 20 to 30 minutes. Then take a break.
I generally dictate by chapter. So I’ll do a chapter, and then break. Most of my chapters are 2,000 or so words (for ghostwriting), which takes me about 20 to 25 minutes.
Step 5: Revise
This may be different if you’re someone who doesn’t do a quick revision of your work right after you’ve written it (like I do). Since I record and transcribe my dictation, I always read through and revise after I transcribe. It’s quick and gives me a solid first draft when I’ve finished the book.
But even if you’re dictating onto the page, I recommend a quick read and revision. Dictation software is very good, but there are a few things you may need to tweak, such as:
- Swear words: Dragon gives me words that rhyme or are similar to swear words, such as duck. Word usually uses *** when I swear.
- Uncommon spellings: If you have a character named Kellie (spelled with an -ie), your software will likely spell it “Kelly.” A find/replace can fix this during revision.
- Made-up names: Authors who write romantasy often have the biggest challenge with dictation because they use made-up or unusual names for characters and cities. While some software (like Dragon) can be trained to learn those words, many authors assign a “normal” word and then use find/replace to change it to the more unusual one. For example, if you have a character named Sarasasin, you could use Sara, when dictating.
- Misunderstanding: Sometimes the software “hears” something different. Usually, it’s because I spoke too fast or didn’t enunciate. However, depending on what the software thought you said, the meaning you intended might not be there. Revising right away allows you to know what you meant so you can fix it. I’ve had times when I’ve waited too long to revise and stared at my screen, wondering what the heck I was trying to say.
How I Dictate
I very quickly discovered that I can’t dictate into my computer. There’s a tendency to watch the words land on the page, which slows me down, as there is a lag between speaking and the words appearing.
Instead, I dictate into a small recorder while on a walk, lying on the couch with my eyes closed, or doing another mindless activity. Then, I have the software transcribe what I recorded. I like this because I can live in my head and let the story flow. I’m completely on the creative side of my brain, never on the analytical (editing) side.
Once it’s transcribed, I can switch into revise/edit mode.
It takes about 40 minutes for me to dictate 3,500 to 4,000 words, and 20 minutes to do a first revision. So, in an hour, I have 3,500 to 4,000 words. When I’m hitting a deadline in ghostwriting, in which I have to write 10,000 words in a day, dictation allows me to get them done in three hours, whereas if I were typing, it would take me eight or more.
Baby Steps to Getting Started in Dictation
Writing a book is a daunting task. Thinking about speaking it out loud might make it seem even more daunting. So, don’t think about dictating your whole book.
The truth is, you probably already use some sort of vocal command tool, whether you’re asking Siri for directions or Google what the weather is today. Maybe you tell Alexa what to order from Amazon.
Dictation is the next step, but again, it doesn’t have to be a book. You can dictate your story ideas or dialogue that shows up out of nowhere when you’re driving. Dictate other aspects of your author business, such as your newsletter or social media.
Next, dictate a single scene. And then two scenes. And then a chapter.
You’ll need to push through the awkwardness, but when you do, you’ll reach that flow state you get when typing. The writing may end up a bit different from when you’re typing, but I’d argue that dictated writing better reveals your voice than typing, which is slower and can more easily be stalled by your editor brain.
The key is not to give up. Try and try again.
More Ways Dictation Can Support Your Writing Career
Dictation isn’t just for novels. Many writers also use dictation for:
- Blog posts and newsletters
- Scene brainstorming and outlining
- Revision notes and rewrites
- Writing while traveling or walking
- Staying productive during busy or low-energy seasons
Equipment for Dictation
You don’t need a studio setup, but a few basics help:
- A quiet space for dictating at home. (I like to go for walks when I dictate.)
- A headset mic or decent USB microphone for dictating into your computer, or a recorder for dictating away from your computer (your phone can record).
- Speech-to-Text software or app
Microphone
Recorder
Sony Digital Recorder with USB (this is what I use)
Recorder App
Easy Voice Recorder: Check your phone’s app store
List of Voice-to-Text Tools
Note, many of these aren’t designed for long-form content, but they can be a great resource for testing whether you want to try dictation or for shorter content such as story notes.
Dragon Naturally Speaking Software
Dragon is no longer available or supported for Mac. Mac users can use the Dragon Anywhere app.
- Home Addition
- Professional Individual (with digital recording/transcription) – I splurged on this for the transcription feature and felt it was worth every penny. I still use it, but there are newer tools, some of which you may already have, that can offer transcription.
Earn Rebates from Nuance for Dragon Naturally Speaking
How To Train for Dictation (specific to using Dragon Naturally Speaking)
- The Writers Guide to Training Your Dragon by Scott Baker
- Quick Cheats for Writing with Dragon by Scott Baker
Dragon Commands Cheat Sheet (PDF)
Dictation Apps (Phone/Tablets)
Siri + Notes App (Free)
Google Keyboard & Keep (Free)
Google Keyboard and Google Docs (Free)
Dragon Anywhere (iOS and Android – Free 7-day trial, monthly or yearly subscription – No word limits)
Otter.Ai (iOS and Android – Free & Paid)
Word (2016, 2019, MS 365) – Word isn’t free, but it’s a standard program that’s worth having. I’ve tested the dictation option on the MS 365 Word app, and was impressed at how well it worked. Some commands differ from Dragon, but other than that, it worked with no glitches. Word now has a transcribe feature as well, where you add an audio file (up to 30 mins) and it will transcribe into text. It does a pretty good job. You’ll find the transcribe feature by clicking the down arrow below the microphone icon that says “dictate” in the main Word Menu.
Software for Mac
Apple Dictate (already part of Apple features)
I can hear you already…it’s just too weird to dictate. Yes, it is at first. But isn’t it worth increasing your writing output and/or saving time to try it?
