Voice activated software is a cost effective tool for freelance writers

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Voice activated software – a program that types what you speak, saved me embarrassment. When you become used to writing via a computer with spell check your spelling skills may go straight to perdition. Checkers don’t catch all mistakes-- far from it. Things slipped through, and remembering all the rules for comma placement just ticks me right off.

I got hold of Dragon Naturally Speaking software by Nuance Communications. I’ve used this kind of thing before, notably, the one that comes on board Windows XP and, let me tell you, the frustration of teaching the Windows software to speak from scratch was way over my limit. I disconnected that quicker than a broadband download.

What the manufacturer says about Dragon

“Dragon Naturally Speaking never makes a spelling mistake, and it actually gets smarter the more you use it! You’ll be dictating letters, documents and e-mails by voice right away! No script reading required to get started. We even include a full set of on-screen tutorials, and a Nuance approved noise-canceling microphone. With Dragon Naturally Speaking Standard you can talk to your computer and watch words quickly appear in documents, e-mails, instant messages and even surf the web simply by speaking! It's amazingly accurate - up to 99% - and really easy to use. There's no script reading or "voice training" required, so you can get started dictating right away."

My take on Dragon

Nuance Dragon, Naturally Speaking is a perfect small business tool, especially for writers. It isn’t 100% true that it needs no prep. I had to do some configuring. It asked questions in a wizard-like way. I read several short paragraphs into the included upscale microphone. But nothing like the reams of reading with other speech activated programs.

Dragon is user-friendly and overall reliable. The thing really learns. I can add specific personal vocabulary easily. I developed a rhythm that works well for me - a combo of type and talk. With use, earlier versions of Dragon got a bit flaky. It didn’t make mistakes, but would start hanging for no discernible reason. Tech support was not responsive and that was frustrating. Nuance seems to have solved those issues with version 10.1, compatible with Windows, including Vista 64.

Trying out Dragon

Here's a paragraph I actually dictated. Dragon errors are in parentheses:

As a writer writing thousands of words (za) day, I decided to go automated. I talk fast. I've been dictating into machines on-and-off for 30 years, back to the old Dictaphone('s). Windows’ program was messed up, but Dragon seems clever. The mistakes it makes come from confusion between my voice and loud, (shark instead of sharp) background noise. Once, it typed my dog barking when I sat thinking about my next sentence. It typed "art art art" - the sound it heard when my Yorkie went off.

Errors come when I run words together or mispronounce. If I speak at a normal, unhurried pace, Dragon gets it. The only spelling errors I make now are when I type. The program comes with text-to-voice capabilities, as well. It can read text aloud in a somewhat annoying voice--great for visually impaired users. There are other programs, but I chose this based on reviews and on my own needs. It solved my problem.

My favorite part of using Dragon is the phrase for pausing your work. Say, "Go to sleep" and the microphone does. Say, "Wake up," and it comes back. You learn to pause slightly before a command so Dragon knows whether you want a phrase typed. It makes occasional mistakes, but once you learn how to regulate your speech patterns, it's pretty good at doing what you want.

Tell us your experiences with voice activated software, please.

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