My wife encourages me to talk to myself.
She’ll be downstairs on the couch with our dog Pippa and I’ll be up in the office in front of my Blue Yeti, talking to no one except the speech processor.
She’ll occasionally hear when I’m talking up there. She won’t hear what I’m saying, but she tells me that I sound so productive.
And she’s right.
My journaling practice
For the past 70 days straight, I’ve used speech-to-text to get down at least 750 words.
It takes a few sentences to get started, and I’ll pause maybe a dozen times or so. Sometimes the paragraphs are a few quick lines, and other times they’re longer and ramble more.
Sometimes I’ll just talk about my day: what happened, recall some events, kind of like a diary. Other times I’ll have a post in mind and I’ll flesh out some of the details.
And other times I’ll just use it as a sounding board. Stuff will just come out of my mouth. The transcription sometimes gets a little garbled but I can usually figure out what I said, even if the words aren’t exactly correct.
I appreciate the benefits of handwriting, but faster
Just like handwriting works different parts of the brain than typing, I’m convinced talking is the same way.
For me, there’s less friction than typing, and certainly less than writing. I can’t type as fast as I talk, and I certainly can’t write as fast as I talk.
The lack of friction also means a lack of filter. My words are unvarnished. They have feelings, and emotions.
Just the things a writer trying to stand out from the AI juggernaut needs.
Here’s how to get started with talking your notes
Here’s what I do to get the words out and in a file. I have Windows 11 but I know Apple can do this also.
1. Get a microphone
I use a Blue Yeti but a webcam mic works, or a headset mic, or a lavalier mic. Something comfortable, doesn’t need to be high-quality.
2. Pop open a text editor
With Windows 11 the speech to text is built in, and works anywhere. (This wasn’t the case with Windows 10.)
I use 750Words.com for the gamification but any text editor will work. Obsidian is another good choice.
3. Windows + H
Make sure focus is on the text editor. Turn on the mic and tap Windows + H to turn on Voice Typing.
4. Speak and monitor
Then start talking, and the text will come up with a short delay. Keep one eye on the text editor to make sure the connection is there. If it drops, hit Windows + H once or twice to get going again.
5. (Optional) Copy the text into your PKM system
I copy the text out of 750Words.com and paste it into a journal entry in Obsidian (my personal knowledge management app) after I get my confetti (reach my 750 words for the day).
From there, I can just let it sit for a bit, or copy-paste the parts I need for the next piece of work I’m doing.
Speech to text is a tool.
A tool to get stuff out of your head and into something more permanent.
It’s one I’ve found useful in improving both the quantity and quality of my content.
You can be the judge! Check out my Solid Cash Tips newsletter for regular resources on spending less, making more, and living well! Delivered six times a week, with three links in each email, no spam ever.
Photo by Richard Khuptong on Unsplash