Biographies and autobiographies remain popular, and ‘how to write a biography’ is a surprisingly common search – along with people asking how to outline a book. Asking questions is important, especially when you’ve only just dipped your toes into the whole writing business.
While the ‘traditional’ approaches to writing are still going strong, these days we have some good alternatives which might suit you more than pen and paper (or hands and keyboard).
One of the alternative writing methods, in our opinion, is especially convenient for biography creators; using a voice recorder to capture and automatically transcribe your work.
Here is why we think you should definitely give it a shot.
It’s a Kind of Magic
Even if you’re wondering how to write a biography and not, say, an epic poem, you still have a lot in common with the ancients. The first biographies were composed in the form of tales to be recited; there was no way to record them. Even The Iliad in all its 15,600 lines glory spent at least five centuries as folk songs. Performers added and subtracted from it as they saw fit.
What we’re hinting at is the long-forgotten principle ready to make a return: it’s okay to create text without writing down a single word.
And unlike the Ancient Greek rhapsodes, you don’t have to memorise your book by heart.
Voice technology is one of the greatest opportunities for authors, especially if the idea is to publish a biography, and modern recorders are very much like a personal secretary. Scripter offers accuracy as high as 99% for English; a far cry from what we had to deal with just a decade ago.
The features we’re looking at:
- automatic transcription, also known as speech-to-text
- flexibility, i.e. the recording device has to be portable
- automatic syntax (commas, paragraphs)
- safe storage
- synchronisation across devices
You are going to need:
- a recording device (or a specialised app)
- …and that’s it
Biographical Writing & Voice Tech: Made for Each Other
So how to write a biography in a way that would exploit all of the advantages offered by voice technology?
- If you’ve done your research, you don’t need to take peeks at the outline. There can be no surprises. The eagles are not going to swoop in and pick up your character from the peak of Mount Doom. You’re safe from plot holes. This means you can write (speak) in little chunks, bits and pieces. Start anywhere, compile later.
- Biographies and flowery prose live in different realms. When writing a biography, you can write more or less as you speak. Voice technology is perfect for capturing the natural flow of thought.
- You can write anywhere. The best ideas often have the worst timing possible. Take a walk – and write. Keep driving – and write. Lie in bed – and write. Pacing often helps us think – and of course voice-to-text lets you write while pacing.
To sum up, speaking to the imaginary reader is better than staring at the cursor. The illusion of communication gets your mind to speed up!
For writers, one of the best options on the market is Senstone Scripter (app and/or recording device). It’s tailored to assist content creators, doesn’t rely on the internet connection, and allows you to avoid the common distractions.
If you’d like to know more about Senstone Scripter and voice technology, visit our home page. Voice technology for lightning fast note taking is what we’re good at!
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Good look with your writing!
