Friday 17 July 2009

Think it Speak it Create it


My computer has started talking to me. No, I haven't been driven barmy by the process of trying to get published (not yet anyway) but I've discovered that my mac had the ability to read me selected text all along. Duh! It only took me six months to discover it.
The only problem is the most realistic voice it can use is still very robotic - there's nothing like a very unenthusiastic robot reading your work to make you feel like going back to bed and hiding under the duvet.
I've also been trying out my new speech to text software - It is a whole new way of writing for me. Normally my process is 'Think it Write it See it Create it' but I'm having to learn how to be less visual, more auditory as I write. 
Who knows, maybe it will lead to more realistic dialogue and better flow (although having to say 'comma', 'full stop', 'open quote' etc is irritating me at the moment). It's certainly better than previous systems I've come across with a lot less errors but I was still bemused when I read in my new synopsis for 'Maverick Millionaire' - "Matt realises that he still loves a mini and sets about juicing her." I actually said "Matt realises that he still loves Emily and sets about seducing her"!!!
I think much more practice and careful editing is needed or who knows what I could send off to Richmond! There may even be a few "be quiet Holly"s at crucial moments when I forget my headset is live (Holly is the noisiest of my dogs).

On the subject of new things there is a brilliantly titled blog that has just been started called Love and Chocolate by the lovely Sally who I met over at Trish Wylie's forum. Love, chocolate and writing, what else could you possibly want???


6 comments:

Suzanne Ross Jones said...

Sounds like you could have a lot of fun with that software.

:-)

Thanks for the links.

x

Jackie Ashenden said...

Hahaha! I love Matt juicing her! I think you should leave it like that. :-)

Lacey Devlin said...

Oh my gosh I'm still laughing poor Matt's out back juicing the mini and random "be quiet Holly"'s! It will keep the editors on their toes :)

Sally Clements said...

Well, if Matts juicing now, goodness knows what he'll be getting up to later in the story (!!)Hope your talking software has a learn function. Thanks for the mention and keep us all posted :)

Joanne Coles said...

I love that Matt is juicing a mini. It sounds perfectly Modern Heat!! Perhaps you'll have to write a stray dog into the ms so you can get away with the "be quiet Holly" comments.

PS Aren't you polite to your dog when she's barking :-)

Lorraine said...

Sorry everyone, thought I'd posted a comment but apparently not!

Think the dog wouldn't be the only thing going astray if I keep the juicing minis in ;-)

Jo - I start off polite at least :-)