Write fiction by speaking your words
Join the Dictation Bootcamp for Authors!
This live, virtual event takes place January 27-30, 2025 (Replays will be available)
When someone says they dictate their fiction, do these thoughts spring into your mind?
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"My brain just doesn’t work that way."
Authors talk about how they are racking up huge word counts simply by speaking their words. But when you try it, your brain freaks out.
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“I can’t afford to spend money on dictation.”
Back in the day, the only way you could write by dictation was if you bought expensive software or hired a human transcriber for every book.
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“I tried and I failed too many times.”
The thought of transcription errors might be holding you back from dictation. Or you’ve struggled to keep everything organized and not lose valuable words.
If these are your thoughts, you are not alone.
Thousands of authors have tried to get into dictating their fiction, only to experience brain freak out, technical hurdles, and overwhelm that lead them to think, “I can’t afford to spend money on dictation,” “My brain just doesn’t work that way,” “I tried and I failed too many times.”
But the truth is…
You haven’t had someone to guide you through the low to no-cost technical options.
Your brain really doesn’t work that way…yet. It needs to be trained.
You didn’t have the training you needed to develop your dictation process.
The Dictation Bootcamp for Authors gives you what you need to finally master dictation.
When you commit to mastering dictation, you enjoy all the benefits of:
Writing faster.
Slay your first draft in less than half the time it takes to type it. That may be 4,000 words instead of 2,000 in one hour. It may be 500 words in 30 minutes instead of an hour. Your spoken words will always outpace your typed ones.
Better health
Write while you walk. Write while you lie in bed. Write without staring at a computer screen. Give your body and your eyes a much-needed break.
Time management
With dictation, you can squeeze writing time into the nooks and crannies of life: Doing dishes, folding laundry, playing with your pets. Capture words at times when typing just isn’t possible.
Role-playing in the characters’ voices
What better way to get into your characters’ skin than speaking their words aloud? Deeply explore your fictional world when you describe it – literally – in your characters’ voices.
“I've been wanting to try dictation for ages, but didn’t know how to jump in the deep end. This bootcamp takes you in the shallow end and gets you swimming out in the deep water with confidence.
“I thought I'd still be daunted by the idea of dictation, but now, dictation is my friend!”
—Janine, author
If we haven’t officially met…
…hey there! I’m Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer, author and writing instructor. I’ve been featured on Joanna Penn’s The Creative Penn podcast, Jane Friedman’s blog, Writer’s Digest magazine, and more. I’m also the host of The Confident Fiction Author podcast which empowers authors to live their best creative lifestyle.
I’ve published 17 historical fiction books with American Indian characters. 11 of those books I wrote solely by dictation.
My top hourly speed for writing a first draft is 4,000 words per hour and my top single word count day was over 11,000 words.
Those blocks to dictating your book that I covered above? Yes. I had them all and they kept me from dictating my fiction for YEARS.
But…
I found ways to overcome those blocks, and also found a passion for teaching fellow authors to do the same.
Authors try and fail to write fiction by dictation because they don’t have someone to walk alongside and do it with them. Inside my Dictation Bootcamp for Authors, you enter a community of support and live training so you can finally conquer dictation and use it to write your first drafts.
Join my live bootcamp for only $37!
This live 3-day bootcamp offers the training and community of support you need so you can finally master dictation.
The bootcamp takes place via Zoom and replays will be available after each session!
Here’s what you need to do:
.01 Register for the bootcamp
For $37, you get expert instruction, exercises, and a community of fiction authors who are mastering dictation alongside you.
.02 Attend the bootcamp
Each day, you’ll receive a link to the live video training. After you complete the daily assignment, post about it on our private dictation community for accountability.
.03 Successfully dictate your first scene
If you commit to completing the assignments every day, you’ll be ready for the final one – dictating an original scene in your story.
“Sarah’s incremental homework approach is achievable and very helpful. The daily assignments don’t take too long but they made all the difference for me.
“I know how to write by dictation now, on both my laptop and my phone.”
-Alison Lloyd, writer
Train yourself to write with spoken words
Here’s your bootcamp schedule:
Day 0: Pre-party
This is when we sort out expectations, time zone differences, and get excited for the epic journey you are embarking on as a future dictating author.
Day 1: Pick your dictation tools
Options abound to dictate your fiction, but not every option is the right fit. Mac or Windows PC? iPhone or Android? We tackle them all.
Day 2: Solidify your dictation process
This day’s lesson is the method I used to finally break through my mental blocks to dictating. It could be the key for you, too.
Also, should you speak your punctuation? If so, how do you do it?
Day 3: Dictating your first scene
It’s time to dictate your first scene, but we take it slow. Dictating fiction is a skill, just like learning to type. But you are surrounded by fellow authors on the same journey, crossing the threshold into a new world that can change your writing life.
The Dates:
Monday, January 27, 10 AM (CDT)
Tuesday, January 28, 10 AM (CDT)
Wednesday, January 29, 10 AM (CDT)
Thursday, January 30, 10 AM (CDT)
Replays will follow each day’s session, and you’ll have access to those replays for 30 days after the bootcamp ends.
“I learned so much in such a short amount of time. I went from doubting to confident in four classes. I feel more free.”
—Amanda, author
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The daily sessions are about 30-45 minutes each, and your daily assignments only take about 15 minutes (though you can spend longer on them if you want!).
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The sessions take place at 10AM CDT (check out this world clock converter for help in comparing your time zone to mine.)
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Because of time zone differences and commitments, it's not possible for everyone to attend live, and it's definitely not a requirement. Authors participate virtually from all over the world!
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Yes! I will send the replays out as soon as they are uploaded to ThriveCart, which will host the replays and assignment notes.
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Nope! My investment was almost $0 when I started dictating my fiction.
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Yes! Just know, the bootcamp is geared toward fiction authors and that's the terminology I use when teaching. But I write a fair bit of nonfiction myself and use dictation for it, too. The tools and techniques needed to master dictation for nonfiction are the same, or similar to, fiction.
FAQ
True “Voice to Page” Training
This bootcamp is hands-on. You get daily assignments to begin the dictation training process that will help you:
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Train your brain
If you feel typing is holding you back from writing a fast first draft, it’s time to get your brain trained to speak your scenes.
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Choose your tools
There are so many options to dictate these days. If you have a smartphone or computer, you can start dictating. You just need guidance through those options.
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Finally Succeed
If you’ve tried dictation and can’t make it stick, this bootcamp is for you. Live training, community, and accountability are your keys to mastering dictation.
