Guest Post from Descript

How to Overcome Writer’s Block with Automatic Transcription

a guest post from Descript

If you’re a writer — of books, essays, scripts, blog posts, whatever — you’re familiar with the phenomenon: the blank screen, a looming deadline, and a sinking feeling in your gut that pairs poorly with the jug of coffee you drank earlier.

If you know that rumble all too well: this post is for you. Maybe it’ll help you get out of a rut; at the very least, it’s good for a few minutes of procrastination.

Here’s the core idea: thinking out loud is often less arduous than writing. And it’s now easier than ever to combine the two, thanks to recent advances in speech recognition technology.

Of course, dictation is nothing new — and plenty of writers have taken advantage of it. Carl Sagan’s voluminous output was facilitated by his process of speaking into an audio recorder, to be transcribed later by an assistant (you can listen to some of his dictations in the Library of Congress!) And software like Dragon’s Naturally Speaking has offered automated transcription for people with the patience and budget to pursue it.

But it’s only in the last couple of years that automated transcription has reached a sweet spot — of convenience, affordability and accuracy—that makes it practical to use it more casually. And I’ve found it increasingly useful for generating a sort of proto-first draft: an alternative approach to the painful process of converting the nebulous wisps inside your head into something you can actually work with.

I call this process idea extraction (though these ideas may be more accurately dubbed brain droppings).

Part I: Extraction

Here’s how my process works. Borrow what works for you and forget the rest — and let me know how it goes!

• Pick a voice recorder. Start talking. Try it with a topic you’ve been chewing on for weeks — or when an idea flits your head. Don’t overthink it. Just start blabbing.
• The goal is to tug on as many threads as you come across, and to follow them as far as they go. These threads may lead to meandering tangents— and you may discover new ideas along the way.
• A lot of those new ideas will probably be embarrassingly bad. That’s fine. You’re already talking about the next thing! And unlike with text, your bad ideas aren’t staring you in the face.
• Consider leaving comments to yourself as you go — e.g. “Maybe that’d work for the intro”. These will come in handy later.
• For me, these recordings run anywhere from 20–80 minutes. Sometimes they’re much shorter, in quick succession. Whatever works.

Part II: Transcription

Once I’ve finished recording, it’s time to harness ⚡️The Power of Technology⚡️

A little background: over the last couple of years there’s been an explosion of tools related to automatic speech recognition (ASR) thanks to huge steps forward in the underlying technologies.

Here’s how ASR works: you import your audio into the software, the software uses state-of-the-art machine learning to spit back a text transcript a few minutes later. That transcript won’t be perfect—the robots are currently in the ‘Write drunk’ phase of their careers. But for our purposes that’s fine: you just need it to be accurate enough that you can recognize your ideas.

Once you have your text transcript, your next step is up to you: maybe you’re exporting your transcript as a Word doc and revising from there. Maybe you’re firing up your voice recorder again to dictate a more polished take. Maybe only a few words in your audio journey are worth keeping — but that’s fine too. It probably didn’t cost you much (and good news: the price for this tech will continue to fall in the years ahead).

A few more tips:

• Use a recorder/app that you trust. Losing a recording is painful — and the anxiety of losing another can derail your most exciting creative moments (“I hope this recorder is working. Good, it is... @#*! where was I?”)
• Audio quality matters when it comes to automatic transcription. If your recording has a lot of background noise or you’re speaking far away from the mic, the accuracy is going to drop. Consider using earbuds (better yet: Airpods) so you can worry less about where you’re holding the recorder.
• Find a comfortable space. Eventually you may get used to having people overhear your musings, but it’s a lot easier to let your mind “go for a walk” when you’re comfortable in your environment.
• Speaking of walking: why not go for a stroll? The pains of writing can have just as much to do with being stationary and hunched over. Walking gets your blood flowing — and your ideas too.
• I have a lot of ideas, good and bad, while I’m thinking out loud and playing music at the same time (in my case, guitar — but I suspect it applies more broadly). There’s something about playing the same four-chord song on auto pilot for the thousandth time that keeps my hands busy and leaves my mind free to wander.

The old ways of doing things — whether it’s with a keyboard or pen — still have their advantages. Putting words to a page can force a sort of linear thinking that is otherwise difficult to maintain. And when it comes to editing, it’s no contest: QWERTY or bust.

But for getting those first crucial paragraphs down (and maybe a few keystone ideas to build towards)? Consider talking to yourself. Even if you wind up with a transcript full of nothing but profanity — well, have you ever seen a transcript full of profanity? You could do a lot worse.

This article was originally published by Descript.

Interview with Irish author Caroline Finnerty

A couple months ago, my parents took a trip to Ireland for two weeks to celebrate their anniversary. One evening, they walked past a small independent bookstore in Dublin, heard laughter, turned around, went inside and followed the voices upstairs. And so it was they met Irish author Caroline Finnerty, whose book launch party was wrapping up. After a pleasant conversation, she signed a copy of her new novel Into the Night Sky as a gift for... ME! :) 

I devoured the book as soon as my parents gave it to me. It is one of those books that, as the Irish Independent newspaper stated, is "impossible to put down." Simply put, Into the Night Sky is a luminous and heartwarming story that will stay with you long after you turn the final page, and Caroline is a superbly talented and empathetic writer. You can order Caroline's books here.

After Caroline was thoughtful enough to email me about my own writing and books, I asked if she would mind answering a few questions for this blog. She kindly agreed, and I am thrilled to present her insightful answers to you now. With no further ado, here is Caroline Finnerty!

Welcome, Caroline! Tell us about your latest novel INTO THE NIGHT SKY. In what ways was this novel different from your other books? 

Into the Night Sky is the story of four people who come into each other’s lives when they are each in need of a friend and how the bonds that form change each of them forever more.

Conor Fahy is the owner of struggling bookshop Haymarket Books and is finding it hard to cope with everyday life in the aftermath of his partner Leni’s tragic death.

Conor’s best friend Ella Wilde is struggling with her own problems having just been axed from her job as a TV presenter after being caught shoplifting. She is struggling to deal with the weight of public disgrace and adjust to life away from the TV cameras.

Jack White is eight years old. He likes Ben 10, Giant Jawbreaker sweets and reading adventure books. He likes his Dad (when he doesn’t shout). He doesn’t like the bad monsters that are eating up his ma inside her tummy.

Rachel Traynor is the social worker assigned to Jack White’s case but sorting out messy family disputes is taking its toll on her. And it doesn’t help that she has had to say goodbye to the man she loves because he doesn't want to have children with her.

It’s different from my other books because the story is told through a present tense narrative and also one of the main characters, Jack, is a young child, which I have never done before.

Have you always wanted to be a writer? How did you get into writing? 

I always loved writing but I never recognized it in myself until I entered my twenties. I was always bookish as a child and made my own "books" with illustrations. In hindsight, I was good at essay writing in school but it never occurred to me to study English and so I studied biotechnology in university. I was in my twenties when I had an idea and said that would make a great story so I just started writing it and I didn’t stop. After a while I decided to do an eight-week creative writing course by night which spurred me on a bit more. Then after I had my first child in 2009 and I had the idea for In a Moment, which was the first book I actually finished and I was lucky enough to get published.

What is your writing schedule? How do you find time to write? 

It is chaotic at the moment! I have three small children, two of whom are not yet in school so it’s challenging to find the time -- but, like everything, if you really want to do it, you have to make sacrifices. So when I get them all into bed in the evenings I stay up late to try to do a bit then or at weekends my husband sometimes takes them all off for a few hours so I can get a bit done. I am quite disciplined so if I do have some free time I use it to write instead of doing anything else.

What is your biggest advice for other writers, particularly young writers just starting out? 

Don’t be too hard on yourself when you read back over your work. Just put the words down on the page and don’t get disheartened. I used to re-read my early drafts and cringe so much that I would never go back to it again. Then I went to a really inspiring getting published workshop and the authors speaking at it said how they all think what they write is awful but that they keep rewriting it until one day they don’t want to throw their laptop against the wall and it finally starts to seem okay.

That’s the key – rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. I love the saying, "You can edit words on a page but you can’t edit a blank page."   

Ooh, I love that saying, too! So very true. Who are some of your favorite writers? 

Too many to mention, but the ones that stick out in my mind are:

• Kate Atkinson
• Maggie O’Farrell
• David Nicholls
• John Boyne 
• Marian Keyes

I read in the Acknowledgements section of INTO THE NIGHT SKY that writing this book was a challenge at times. It seems that writer's block is something every writer has to deal with at one time or another. Do you have any tips for advice for vanquishing writer's block? 

I find that usually when I am experiencing writer’s block it is because some part of the book is not working. Either the character isn’t fully developed in my mind or there is a problem with the plot.

When I was writing Into The Night Sky, I was finding it difficult to research the role of Rachel the social worker and how that storyline fitted into the book but it took me a few months to put my finger on exactly what it was that was missing. Eventually I contacted a friend of mine who was a social worker and she helped me immensely; once I had concrete facts, the story moved on again.

Usually if I can’t figure out what the problem is, then I go on to another scene that is coming easily to me and then go back to the problematic one at a later stage when hopefully it will come a bit easier then.

Great advice! Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you for having me, Dallas it’s lovely to be over here on an American blog – hello everyone!

Thank you so much for joining us today, Caroline!

Connect with Caroline at the following links:

• Her website: www.carolinefinnerty.ie 
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/carolinefinnertybooks 
• Twitter: @cfinnertywriter
• Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Finnerty/e/B007X4NSBE

Some Tips on Beating Writer's Block

Writer's block is a question I often get emailed about, so I thought it would be helpful to write a quick post with my thoughts about it, and some tips that often work for me! I just finished writing my third novel, which I felt blocked on quite a few times, and which felt like a giant mess quite a few times, but now that I'm on the other side I can cheerfully report that all those times I felt like just throwing my hands up in the air often precipitated a HUGE breakthrough. Pushing through the hard times was worth it one-thousand percent. The important thing is to not letter writer's block defeat you! Keep plugging away.

For me at least, writer's block usually stems from worrying that what I'm writing isn't "good enough"... when this happens, I remind myself that no rough drafts are perfect and, as one of my creative writing professors used to say to us in college, words down on the page are ALWAYS better than words just in your head.

If you're working on a longer project, maybe you simply need to take a break. Try to writing a short story featuring some of your characters, or even a short story featuring entirely new/different characters. This can help you see the idea from a new angle, get excited about the idea again, and get to a "finish line" of a shorter project. That might be just the motivation you need to dive back into the longer work with your batteries recharged!

Most of all, I always encourage my students and mentees to go after the idea that is sparking inside you, the one that makes you excited. There is no time to waste! Write what makes you feel alive.

If it's the idea you're working on now, great! If you wants to try something completely different and new, that's great too! Remember: you can always return to this idea later if you want. No idea is ever wasted or abandoned.

Finally, here's the number-one thing that works best for me when I'm battling the writer's block blues, and that has made the biggest difference in my productivity, creative energy, and happiness as a writer: write every day.

Make writing a routine. I think even trying to write at the same time of the day is best, because you train your body to prepare to write during that time -- much in the same ways athletes often practice at the same times. Then, when that time hits, you are ready to go! It's like a muscle memory you are building.

Even if you feel like the writing isn't flowing, even if you feel like every word you are writing is terrible, stay in the chair and keep pushing through to the good stuff. Because the good stuff will come, believe me. You just need to have the patience to get to it!

Here are a couple other articles I found that might be helpful, too:

• http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/writingroadblocks/tp/block.htm
• https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/567/1

Guest Post by Beth Erickson

Not in the Mood to Write? Do this.

by Beth Ann Erickson

It's inevitable. You'll come to a point in your career when you don't feel like writing. You sit down, you try to force the words to come but they don't. What do you do?

Here are a few ideas:

1. If you can't write, it's likely you haven't been "filling your cup." This means you've been pouring words through your fingertips without pouring words into yourself. This means it's time to read. If you're not reading daily, you'll run the risk of hitting more dry spells than if you balance the two activities.

2. Perhaps you have nothing to say. If you have nothing to say, you'll either have to come up with something to say, or ditch the project. Passion is a vital part of this profession. Discovering you have nothing to say is a clue that perhaps you've selected an unsuitable topic.

3. You need a break. Perhaps you're facing a bit of burnout. Again, read. Go for a walk. Rediscover life outside your writing studio. Give yourself a little time, then approach the topic with fresh eyes.

4. Look at the topic through a newbie's eyes. Capture the excitement, amazement, the freshness. If you can do this, you'll inject life into not only your writing, but also your career.

When your primary stock and trade is the exchange of ideas, it's imperative to keep on top of the newest thoughts in your area of expertise. Funny thing is, when you do this, you automatically
always find something to say.


This article is courtesy of Filbert Publishing. Make your writing sparkle, write killer queries, get published. Subscribe to Writing Etc., the free e-mag for freelancers and receive the e-book "Power Queries." http://filbertpublishing.com

Guest Post by Mariana Ashley

Hearing Voices: A Brief Guide to Writing

by Mariana Ashley

We writers are a strange breed. Often idealistic, we also have to realists; often introverted, we are “people-people,” fascinated with everything outside ourselves. We also tend to classify ourselves as writers before we have written anything—this at least is my vice.

I am fortunate enough to write for a living, but that only makes days when I don’t write all the more hypocritical. In all my years of writing, there is one question that I am still unable, no matter how deeply I research it, how frequently I ponder it, or how desperately I agonize over it, to answer: Why is it so hard to write?

The search for an answer to that question has produced several conclusions, mostly about psychology, anthropology, and whether or not I should seek professional counseling for wanting to write in the first place.

What asking that question has not done, however, is force me to write.

If I have learned anything from my pursuit of the writing craft, it is that second-guessing the pursuit gets us nowhere. Anyone with enough courage to call herself an artist of any sort will also inevitably contend with self-doubt; art is an unconventional career path, and one that does not provide easy answers.

To be a successful writer, you only have to do one thing—write. Take your dream seriously. This advice is certainly easier said than done, but if you follow it, you’ll be writing your way to fame faster than you ever thought possible (I’m assuming here that, like me, you sometimes feel like it will never be possible, therefore any time frame will be faster).

There’s nothing easier to listen and/or give in to the many voices in your head telling you not to write, for whatever reason—don’t worry, those voices are normal, I looked into it. Half of the challenge of being a writer is finding ways to outsmart and out-connive those voices. But there are some devices that have helped me when all I could see was the vast emptiness of a blank page, and all I could hear was the belittling voices of my subconscious.

• Write like clockwork. You’ll hear a lot of talk about your “creative times” and some crazy theories about when you are most attuned to the Muse’s song—don’t listen to it. Pick a time to write, and write for an hour. Every day. Wake up at 7am and write for an hour before work; write for an hour right when you get home; write for an hour before you go to sleep. It doesn’t matter when you write, just make writing a consistent thing in your life.

• Set goals. During your one hour writing slot, have a goal to meet, no matter how absurd. In fact, sometimes crazier goals make for more productive writing sessions. Tell yourself you’re going to write one full page, two full pages, a new character, a synopsis of your story, an outline, anything. It’s easier to break your art down in to pieces than it is to sit down once every six months and try to write the next great American novel.

• Just do something. You won’t be inspired every time you sit down to write, so don’t expect yourself to be. And don’t just write when you’re inspired either. If you’re stuck, paralyzed, bored, beaten down, just take the pressure off yourself by writing something unrelated to your current project. Do a character sketch, try to recall a conversation you heard during the day, write a haiku, imagine an alternate ending to your day, make up a fairy tale, call a friend and talk non-sense. It is more the act and process of creating than the final product that inspires.

You’ll never get anywhere by questioning your abilities or lamenting your creative block. Learn to tune out the voices that would impede you, and you will have learned your secret to success. And always remember: if you’re writing, you’re on the right track.

Bio: Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031@gmail.com.

Guest Post by Maria Rainier: Staying Motivated

I became a writer when I was seven years old. My mother bought me a journal and I never looked back. Fifteen journals later I am on my way to becoming the writer I want to be, but it isn’t easy. I endured lapses of time when I didn’t write, but like an empty car I am in need of the fuel that will carry me on. I have to work hard on my writing skills, but there is nothing I enjoy more.

Here are a few of my own philosophies for staying motivated to my writing. Just like staying in shape it is a work in progress, but having a starting place is always handy.

1. Read. Read. Read. I have never met a good writer that didn’t read and read often. Writers who do not read lack an attachment to their readers which is evident in their writing. It is our responsibility to draw our readers in, and when we lack the focus, we can call upon others to show us the way. Use it, stretch it, and be proud of whatever your own flavor becomes. Creativity is at our core and seeing it in others helps us tap into its wealth. When we are lost, we can find inspiration in others.

2. Find your voice and stick with it. An incredible writer, my father, always tells me that the core of my writing lies in the voice that shows through it. Always be open to the criticism from those around you, especially those you respect, but learn to know what is yours in your writing and do not compromise it. Improve it.

3. Figure out why it is you want to write. And then write. It really is as simple as that. Growing up I wrote because it was my way of dealing with life. Writing has served a different purpose throughout the years and every change has helped me to grow differently. A few years ago, I decided to give my life to writing and that is my new purpose. Whether we want to write books, publish articles, put together a screen-play or simply get lost in our journal, knowing why you want to write will help keep you writing.

To me, writing is one of the greatest gifts I have been given in my life. When it comes close to becoming a burden, or I feel my inspiration slipping away I return to these three simple things. Be inspired by others, shout or whisper with the inner-voice inside, and always remember why you are writing. Everything else will fall into place.

This guest post was contributed by Maria Rainier. She frequently writes on the topic of online degrees.

Interview with Amazing Young Nonfiction Writer Allie Sakowicz

Allie Sakowicz is proof that you are never too young to make your dreams come true. At just fifteen years old, she has written more than 30 articles for print magazines such as Odyssey Magazine and Chicago Parent as well as several in online publications including True Genius Magazine and Scrubs Magazine. She is also a member of the Scholastic Kids Press Corps, and as such her assignments have included attending a rally for former Presidential candidate John McCain, and President Barack Obama’s Election Night and Super Tuesday Election Night parties. Wow! Her website is www.alliesakowicz.com.

Read on for Allie's tips about how YOU can tap into your interests to make a career as a writer at any age!

How did you get your first piece published?

My first piece was actually a book review of Because of Winn-Dixie in the Chicago Tribune when I was 10. There was a general call for submissions and, being a huge fan of the Kate DiCamillo book, I submitted a review. I never expected to see it printed several months later! As for my first "real" article, the story went a bit differently. The author of the Angelina Ballerina series of books, Katherine Holabird, was making visit in my community and I was able to attend and take a picture with her. My family encouraged me to write an article about the experience and submit it to a local parenting magazine, who accepted it. It's certainly not always that easy, but I was lucky that the right opportunity came along at the right time and started my writing career.

How did you become interested in writing?

As long as I can remember, I've loved to write. Even now, I would prefer to write an essay on something than do an art project or something else any day. I wish I could tell you more, but I really can't. Writing has just always been there as a big part of my life and I wouldn't have it any other way.

What is your writing routine like? How do you find time in your busy schedule to write?

Being a full-time student makes it extremely difficult to find time to write, especially since I am involved in sports and other extracurricular activities. However, I believe that we always make time to do what we love, and writing is something that I love. Whenever I feel inspired, I will jot down a few words on an article or make a note about something I want to include. I am passionate about writing non-fiction because I love helping people gain knowledge on a certain topic. There is nothing better to me than getting an email saying that I inspired someone through my work. That is what keeps me going, and that is why I am in my room typing while my friends are at the pool, or why I am at the library researching on a 90-degree day. It's all about priorities.

Do you have any tips for dealing with the trials of the writing life, such as writer's block and rejection?

I realize that they are things that happen to each and every author at some point and try to work around them. As a non-fiction writer, I think I struggle with writer's block a whole lot less than others, but it still does occur. What I do when it does happen is find some new sources about my topic and do more research. Usually when I do this, I will come across new information I was not already aware of, and that opens up many more doors with the article. As for rejection, I'm not going to lie: it hurts. I have had many cases where it seems like an editor is very interested in my work, only to get a standard form rejection a month later. But, I just pick up the pieces and move on. Rejection is bound to happen in this business, and most of the time it is not because of the author's work, it is just an editor's preference. The one important thing to remember is to never give up. The right opportunity will come and you have to keep persevering to find it.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

I read a huge variety of books, so I have favorite authors in every category. One of my favorite books, Shiver, was written by my friend Maggie Stiefvater and is a must-read. I also enjoy books by Jodi Picoult, Meg Cabot and John Grogan. As for non-fiction, I love reading medical books because I am a huge dork.

What is your biggest advice to other young writers?

I think that it is very important for kids to never give up on their dreams and goals just because of their age. It's difficult to be taken seriously sometimes in this industry, and the only way to get around that is to act serious. That means doing your research and writing quality articles or manuscripts.

What are you working on now? What's next for Allie Sakowicz?

I'm on a little bit of a hiatus from writing right now to focus on school, but I still have a few pieces in the works. I've begun to center in on articles about medicine, which is what I'm really interested in. I'm not really sure what the future of my writing career is, but I am having so much fun right now and can't wait to see what happens next.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Feel free to email me at allie@alliesakowicz.com if I can every help! I'm more than happy to offer advice or guidance to help get you where you want to be.

Write Every Day!

One of my favorite activities is visiting schools and talking about reading and writing. Last week I had the pleasure of visiting Junipero Serra Elementary School in Ventura, California to talk to all the third and fourth grade students. They were so creative, respectful, energized and, to use one of their favorite words, awesome! :)

Often kids will ask me what advice I have for becoming a writer. My biggest advice is simple: Write every single day. Even if only for fifteen or twenty minutes. Make writing a priority; make it part of your daily routine, as essential as eating dinner or brushing your teeth. Writing a whole book may seem like a daunting endeavor, but if you write just one page every day, at the end of a year you'll have 365 pages!

Recently, my own life has gotten incredibly busy. In between applying for graduate school and international fellowships, doing radio and online interviews, working on articles for magazines and websites, and the endless everyday tasks of daily life, my fiction writing time gradually slipped away. I began to feel drained and overwhelmed. At the end of the day, I would look back at all I had accomplished and still feel like something was missing.

Then I realized: I needed to listen to my own advice! I needed to make my fiction writing -- writing that is dearly important to me -- a priority again. I have set a new goal for myself of writing 1,000 words on my new novel manuscript every single day. It's been almost two weeks, and many days I have gotten on a roll and written 2,000 or 3,000 words at a time! For me, an important thing to remember when working on a first draft is not to censor or edit myself too much, but simply to let my creativity flow. Editing comes later. I often write longhand and then transfer my writing to the computer. I find I am more open-minded and free-flowing when I write by hand.

Since I've been recommitted to writing every single day, I have felt more purposeful, happy, and inspired. And my new novel is coming along great!

Tips for Busting Through Writer's Block

Is your story in a rut? Are you feeling stuck? Writer's block is definitely a problem that most every writer has to deal with. It can be so frustrating! Here are some ideas that might help you get through it:

* Set your story aside for a couple of weeks and work on something else. Sometimes, like a watched pot that never boils, a story idea never comes when we are fretting over it. In my experience, the best ideas for my stories often arrive when I am thinking about something else -- walking my dog, cooking dinner, browsing a farmer's market.

* Is there a later part of the story you want to write or know what's going to happen, but the middle is tripping you up? Sometimes writers know the beginning and the end, but not the middle. If this is the case for your story, my advice would be to skip forward and write the ending. Then, you can go back and write the middle -- ideas might come to you once the ending is in place.

* Sometimes I get blocked when I am at a "fork in the road" in my story: there are multiple routes my story could take, and I'm not sure which one is the "right" one. If you suspect this is the case for your subconscious, I would try just picking one route -- one way the story could go, one thing that could happen next -- and write that. Just see what happens! If it doesn't feel right, you can always go back and change it. But maybe it will be the thing to get you through the block!

* Try putting yourself in your character's head. Let her or him take the reins of the story. Close your eyes and really get inside that character. What are they thinking/feeling/worrying/wondering/fearing? What would they do next in this situation they are in? Try to "freewrite" without thinking too much or editing yourself. Write for eight or ten minutes without stopping. Then, see what you have. Maybe it will be enough to re-start the story again.

Hope these ideas help! I'd also love to hear any of your tips for busting through writer's block!