Speech recognition software enables users to dictate, essentially turning talk into text. When we type, our writing is usually a bit more formal. The intended register may be formal but it does take practice to get to a point where your dictation sounds more like your typing. Even speaking to write requires a period to become accustomed to the new input. It may seem easy enough to tell someone to simply imagine they’re talking to someone else on the other end of the phone but having a headset and composing your thoughts out loud can be a challenge.
This organic feel for speaking rather than typing can actually be used to enhance work such as screenwriting. The process of making your dialogue jump off the page can seem much more spontaneous if it was said to begin with. Writers will often read their work out aloud in order to get a good feel for how it sounds. Sometimes writing and saying can seem like two different things with inflection or even alliteration changing the overall quality of what’s being said.
So Dragon can be a major productivity tool for just about anyone but it’s secret weapon for screenwriters can make a huge difference. The romantic idea of a typewriter or plonking away at a coffee shop may still be the first choice for many writers but seeing the benefits of getting talky dialogue onto the page or screen with great ease can make a first draft so much richer and lively.
If you’re looking for screenwriting assistance in the form of a script polish, notes, an edit or even a general review, consider Reviewmyscript.com for a range of insightful and value-adding services. As they put it in this article on screenwriting tools: “People often equate the idea of screenwriting with romantic elements such as scribbling in a coffee shop or plonking away on a typewriter. While this dreamy disposition can work for some, these are antiquated ways of getting notes and ideas onto the page.”