Finding Better Electronics

You may picture dictation as something bosses use for for letters and other business documents. Their administrative assistants then type up the recorded messages and distribute them appropriately. In fact, dictation has a much broader application than that scenario. If you are a writer, you can improve your output and the quality of your daily life by using dictation. 

Speed

For most writers, their craft requires hours spent daily in front of a computer screen typing maybe 900 words an hour. Dictation, once you become accustomed to the practice, allows you to get about 2,000 words recorded every hour. Although this output will obviously be quite rough, it still represents a significant amount of work each day. As any writer knows, having a rough draft of anything allows you to get on with the real work of writing: the revising. 

Problem-Solving

Experts have found that dictation can actually improve your thinking by getting you out of cognitive ruts. Since you can dictate while you are walking, waiting for a plane, or in line for an espresso, your mind can escape the limits that certain environments impose. If you become blocked while sitting at your computer, changing your environment can help give you fresh insights and inspire solutions. Simply typing in a new place may not have this effect. 

Auditory Thinkers

You may be an auditory thinker, someone who thinks best while expressing themselves verbally rather than on paper. If so, you will benefit most from dictating your stories, books, and other projects rather than forcing yourself to type them first. You will be more creative and more productive. Your writing may improve drastically once you free yourself from the shackles of the keyboard. You can then hire someone to transcribe your efforts or do it yourself. Either way, your creative process will be separate from the word processing task. For many creative people, the keyboard is the enemy of art.

Using dictation can be the salvation of many writers. It takes you out of a physical and mental rut, allowing you to be creative wherever you go. Plus, dictation relieves you of the tedious task of typing out your work, which for some writers is a daunting task. By investing in quality dictation equipment, you will be making your life easier and your art better. Your next great work may be composed as you stroll along a river or observe deer in the woods.