: Does anyone have experience with using dictation software for creative writing? How does it change the writing process? Any suggestions on the various dictation software available?

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I have no problem with hearing my self. I have trained myself to do punctuation, again, no problem. I use Dragon Naturally Speaking on Windows 10. I have used it for well over a decade.

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I have tried to use dictation software for nearly twenty years: I have spent hours training specific programs -- Dragon, Microsoft, etc. They don't work as they should.

Recently I have found that Android speech recognition on my phone, backed up by Google but appearing in various formats, is very accurate as long as you have a data connection. I can speak and it will, usually, turn what I say into letters.

However, what holds me back from seizing on this modern technology is this: I can type quickly and there are always mistakes in speech recognition. I can write more accurately and quickly using a keyboard.

When typing I am not held back by my speed of typing: I am held back my speed of thinking what to type.

I have recently gone back to handwriting anything I think is worthwhile before editing and then typing it -- there are extra steps here that improve the quality of what I write.

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I use dictation to create first drafts as well as major re-writes. The only effect that I notice is that the drafts are light on description and heavy on dialog. That is OK with me because the drafts come out fast and I tend to edit the hell out of any draft (first or not). Pro tip: cannot edit a draft if it does not exist. Dictation gets me there quicker.

The quality is rougher in the sense that I often will say the same thing in different ways with the thought that the editing process will fix things. Works for me. May not work for anyone else.

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