Say It Out Loud!
Uncomfortable or unable to write your stories?
Nowadays, you can write your life stories without ever actually writing them!
How is that possible?!
Half of our beautiful Stories to Last books start with recorded interviews. Once professionally transcribed—Ta Dah!—you’ve got stories on paper to work with!
You can record your stories using a number of FREE applications.
Voice-to-Text
Google Voice Typing
Using GoogleDocs in a Chrome browser, click on TOOLS to find VOICE TYPING.
Start voice typing
Check that your microphone works.
Open a document in Google docs with a Chrome browser.
Click Tools > Voice typing. ...
When you're ready to speak, click the microphone.
Speak clearly, at a normal volume and pace.
For punctuation, you can just say the following:
Period
Comma
Exclamation point
Question mark
New line
New paragraph
Here’s a couple good tutorials (written and video):
https://www.smore.com/91m4v-voice-typing-in-google-docs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIz9UWi5z4w
Notes on iPhone
I use NOTES on my iPhone every day. It’s just like recording a text message. Click on the microphone icon to start recording. Like VOICE TYPING, say punctuation for it to appear. The recording will stop when you pause. Just click on the microphone icon to continue.
You can send this NOTE to your computer via email or text and copy and paste it to a Word doc or Pages. If you have a Mac, you should see it when you open up your NOTES app.
Just be prepared. These recordings will not translate your words to the page perfectly. As a matter of fact, you’ll see some pretty interesting errors. BUT, it’s much easier to get started with something—anything—on the page than a blank piece of paper.
You will have to go back and edit quite a bit. And there you have it! You’ve gotten your stories on the page! Now you have something to work with!
Dragon Naturally Speaking
For more accurate speech recognition software, you can purchase Dragon NaturallySpeaking.
You will need to read or watch tutorials and train the application to recognize your pattern of speech before getting started.
Record Just Your Voice!
Free Voice Recording Apps
You can also record your voice and have it transcribed using a number of FREE voice recording applications, available for download on your smartphone.
For the iPhone, I particularly like Voice Record Pro and have used it for years. You can also use Voice Memos on your iPhone.
Once your stories are recorded, you can send the audio files to yourself via email or other methods or save it directly to your GoogleDrive. Once you have a digital recording, you can get it transcribed. We’ll discuss transcription in a moment!
Digital Voice Recorders
There are also a number of digital voice recorders you can purchase. Read instructions for how to upload the audio files to your computer (or someone else’s who is helping you).
Video Apps —Tell Your Story Aloud to Someone Else
Would it be easier to record your story in conversation? Are you a storyteller? Consider recording yourself while telling your stories to a friend or relative. I sometimes think best when I talk to someone else.
Besides using audio tools, it’s easy to record a conversation on Zoom.com. Right now, at least, for free!
Transcription
You can quite easily get your audio and video files transcribed these days. In minutes!
One tech market that has actually increased during the pandemic is online, instant transcription software. My favorite thus far is Temi.com. It’s easy to slow down the recording to correct transcript errors on the website, then download it to your computer. Your files can be visual too, like Zoom recordings. You can also save the transcriptions on your dashboard on Temi for a while. Transcriptions cost just $.25/minute.
You Got This!
If you’re nervous, don’t think about it too much. Just think of one story, turn on the recorder and give it try! Or if you prefer some planning, jot down notes to remind yourself of the stories you want to tell, even some of the details. The recordings don’t have to be perfect.
Need ideas to get started? Take a peak at our Stories to Last prompts for ideas (More prompts coming soon!). Or some of our other blogs for motivation!
And as always, we’re here to help with editing, publishing and guidance if you wish.
