If you want to write more than one book a year, dictation can help you draft faster, temporarily mute your internal editor, and free up time for revision, readers, and balancing the rest of your life.
I’m Heidi McCahan, a Publishers Weekly bestselling romance author, and dictation is one of the essential tools I use to draft and publish multiple books a year.
I don’t use dictation because I’m obsessed with productivity. I use it because it helps me get a first draft down faster, silence my highly critical internal editor, and free up time for the parts of writing that actually require my deepest focus: revision, processing editorial feedback (both developmental and line edits), as well as strengthening the story.
For me, dictation has completely changed my life because it helps me achieve my word count goals and stay physically, emotionally and spiritually healthy.
The hardest part of writing a book is not getting words on the page. In my experience, the biggest hurdle is accepting editorial feedback and rewriting well. Yes, this phase is allegedly where the magic happens, but it requires deep, thoughtful work. Sometimes it feels exhausting and painful. Dictation helps me move through the drafting stage with more momentum so I can devote more energy on the work that really shapes the final book.
It also helps me build a more sustainable writing life. When I can draft efficiently, I have more time for newsletters, blog posts, reader engagement, and the other responsibilities that come with being a working author (as well as the tasks that come with being a wife and mother).
If you’ve been wondering how to use dictation to write a novel, how to dictate a first draft, or whether dictation can help you write more books per year, I want to show you exactly how I do it.
Why I Use Dictation to Write My First Drafts
The main reason I use dictation is simple: it helps me finish first drafts.
To be honest, using speech-to-text tools helps me tap into that deep creative well. And when I’m speaking the story out loud, I can’t hear my often cruel internal editor. If I try to type a first draft, it’s much easier for me to second-guess every sentence as I go. Dictation creates a little more distance between the storytelling part of my brain and the judging part. That makes it easier to keep moving.
When I dictate, I give myself permission to get the scene down without trying to perfect it in real time. I’m focused on character, tension, dialogue, stakes, interiority and ending each scene with a strong hook. Later, during revision, I can deepen the setting, sharpen the prose, refine pacing, and layer in more story world detail.
Dictation also supports my larger career goals. I write contemporary romance for two publishers, and like many authors, I want to give readers more of what they already love in a way that still feels fresh. Publishing more consistently helps me reach more ideal readers, build a bigger audience, and stay visible in a crowded market. Dictation helps make that possible.
Can Dictation Really Help You Write More Than One Book a Year?
Yes …if you’re willing to work hard and learn to use speech-to-text tools effectively.
For many writers, the issue is not a lack of ideas. It’s the time and energy required to turn those ideas into a complete first draft. Dictation can help shorten that stage of the process, especially if you already have a sense of your story and can think in scenes.
In my own writing life, dictation has been a major part of increasing my output. In 2025, I wrote and revised five novels. That’s over 300,000 words. All five are on track for publication or are already published. In 2026, I’m increasing my output again. I’ve already written two novels and I’m contracted to write three more plus a novella.
That kind of consistency is not about chasing speed for its own sake. It’s about building a body of work, keeping existing voracious readers satisfied, and creating more opportunities for my books to find the people they were written for.
If you want to publish more than one manuscript per year, dictation is worth considering.
My Step-by-Step Dictation Process for Writing a First Draft
The question I get most often is: What is your process?
Here’s what it looks like for me.
1. I Start With a Synopsis
Before I dictate anything, I write a synopsis.
This step takes real work because I need to synthesize my story idea into a two- to three-sentence pitch. That forces me to clarify the emotional arc, the central conflict, and the hook before I start drafting.
Since I write contemporary romance, I’m often working with familiar tried-and-true elements such as small towns, single parents, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, childhood sweethearts, second chances, secret babies, or natural disasters. My goal is not to repeat what’s already been done, but to create a story that gives readers something they love and represents my brand.
Once I have the synopsis written and my editor gives me the green light, I move into drafting.
2. I Build Each Scene Before I Dictate It
I don’t sit down and start talking without a plan.
I’m a student of Susan May Warren’s Novel Academy, where she teaches the Scene Tension Equation as part of her larger framework, The Story Equation. That approach has helped me think more intentionally about what each scene needs before I begin dictating.
As I prepare a scene, I’m thinking about questions like these:
- What problem does my point-of-view character need to resolve in this scene?
- What emotional tension is operating beneath the surface?
- What does the character want right now?
- What sensory details matter?
- How can I make sure the reader understands what the character is thinking and feeling?
I write in deep third-person point of view, so interiority matters a great deal. In my opinion, the objective behind this point of view is for readers to feel close to the character’s emotional experience. That means I’m not just narrating events. I’m also making sure the reader understands the meaning of those events for the character living through them.
3. I Dictate One Scene at a Time
Once I know what the scene needs to accomplish to advance the plot, I dictate it as a single audio file.
I use Evernote, and for me, one scene usually takes about ten minutes to dictate. Ten minutes of dictation often equals about one thousand words, which is plenty for a first-draft scene.
Working scene by scene keeps the process manageable. I’m not trying to imagine an entire chapter all at once. I’m simply asking: what happens next, and then telling myself the story out loud.
Breaking the process down into bite-sized chunks (so to speak) keeps me from getting overwhelmed and giving up.
4. I Let Evernote Transcribe the Audio Into Text
After I dictate the scene, Evernote transcribes the audio into text.
Most of the time, the transcription is good enough to give me a workable draft immediately. It usually handles punctuation well, though not always. If punctuation is missing or inconsistent, I may use an AI tool to help clean it up so I can move the text into the next stage of my process.
That means I go from spoken draft to editable manuscript quickly, which is one of the biggest advantages of dictation for me.
5. I Use AI as a First Line of Developmental Feedback
Once the scene exists on the page, I use Ask Susie May as an early developmental tool and always-available book coach.
I’m both a student of Susan May Warren’s online school for writers, and a customer who uses her new proprietary tool. One reason I like using it is that I’m comfortable with the ethical and privacy aspects associated with sharing my work online. I pay for access, and I feel confident using it as part of my process.
For me, this tool functions like a first line of developmental editing. It helps me identify weak spots, strengthen scenes, and improve the story before I get deeper into revision. Since I’ve started using Ask Susie May, my stories have become stronger and I’ve received less editorial feedback.
Frankly, that’s confirmation that I’ve implemented a process and a system that works effectively.
6. Then I Revise Hard
This is important: dictation helps me draft faster, but revision is still where the real work happens.
My dictated first drafts are often dialogue-heavy. Dialogue comes naturally to me when I speak a scene aloud, and that can be a real strength. But those early drafts are also often lighter on story world detail than they need to be.
So when I revise, I focus on making the book feel more vivid. I add texture, sensory detail, environmental descriptions, and I also try to balance interiority with physical beats to help readers feel immersed in the world of the story.
That’s why I don’t see dictation as a shortcut around craft. In my opinion, it’s more of a drafting method that gets me to the craft-intensive part of the process faster.
The Best Dictation App for Writers: Why I Use Evernote
A lot of writers ask me which dictation app I recommend most often.
For me, the answer is Evernote.
What I like about Evernote is that it allows me to dictate each scene as an audio file and then transcribe that file into text. It keeps my drafting process simple and organized, and because I work one scene at a time, that structure fits the way I write.
I’m not saying Evernote is the only option for every writer. But it is the tool that works best for me as a novelist who wants an efficient way to move from spoken draft to revisable text.
When writers ask how to get started with dictation, the app matters less than the workflow. What matters most is finding a process that lets you capture the scene, turn it into usable text, and keep moving.
How Dictation Gives Me More Time for the Rest of My Writing Life
One of the biggest benefits of dictation is that it creates more space in my schedule for the other parts of being an author.
Writing the manuscript is only one part of the job.
There’s also revision, editorial communication, newsletters, reader engagement, blog posts, long-form content such as interviews, social media, and all the work of maintaining a visible, connected author presence. If you want to build a sustainable writing career, those things matter too.
Dictation helps me free up time and creative energy for that work without sacrificing my health.
That’s one reason I think this conversation needs to be bigger than productivity. For me, dictation helps me create more room for living an abundant life.
Does Using Dictation Lower the Quality of Your Writing?
Not if you understand what dictation is for.
Dictation is a drafting tool. It is not a substitute for revision, structure, editorial feedback, or craft development.
In my experience, dictation has not lowered the quality of my writing. If anything, my work has improved because I’m able to draft more freely, get feedback earlier, and spend more energy where it matters most: revision.
I’m also much more aware now of what my first drafts need. Because I know they tend to be dialogue-heavy, I can revise with intention. Because I know where I naturally underwrite, I can strengthen those areas on purpose.
Again, dictation is not just about efficiency or productivity. Based on my experience, I feel that it’s also about tapping into that ethereal pocket of our subconscious that makes us creative. If you’d like to learn more about this, I highly recommend The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. She explains it so much better than I ever could!
How to Get Started With Dictation as a Writer
If you’re curious about trying dictation, here are a few practical ways to begin:
Start with one scene
Don’t try to dictate an entire chapter or an entire book on day one. Start with one scene and learn what it feels like to speak the story instead of type it. If you get hung up here, I recommend just finding something that you already love and read it out loud. Maybe a favorite scene in a much-loved book, a poem, something you’ve already written and you’re proud of, etc.
Know the purpose of the scene
Before you hit record, identify the point-of-view character’s goal, problem, and emotional conflict. Dictation works much better when you know what the scene’s goals are.
Expect your spoken voice to feel different
Writing aloud is not the same as typing. It may feel awkward at first, and that’s okay. You’re learning a new drafting rhythm. I’ve found it extremely helpful to dictate when I’m alone. If you’re almost never alone, try hiding in a closet. Seriously. It works!
Let the draft be imperfect
The goal is not to produce polished prose in real time. The goal is to get the scene down.
Use revision to deepen the work
If your dictated draft comes out heavy on dialogue and light on description, that does not mean the process failed. It means revision still has a job to do.
Who Dictation Works Best For
Dictation can be especially helpful for writers who:
- struggle with a harsh internal editor
- think quickly and talk easily
- get bogged down when typing
- want to increase their annual output
- can plan scenes before drafting them
- want more time for revision and career-building tasks
- are looking for a more sustainable way to complete first drafts
It may not be the right fit for every writer, but for many fiction authors, it can be a powerful tool.
Final Thoughts on Using Dictation to Write More Books
If your goal is to write more than one book a year, dictation is worth exploring.
Not because faster is always better. Not because you need to become a productivity machine. But because getting your first draft down more efficiently can create space for the parts of writing that matter most: revision, craft, reader connection, and building a long-term career.
That’s why dictation has become such an important part of my process.
It helps me get out of my own way, quiet the internal editor long enough to tell the story, and it helps me create more room for both the books themselves and the rest of my life…both the professional and the personal.
If you’ve been curious about dictation, my best advice is to start simple. Start with one scene. Learn your rhythm. Let yourself be a beginner. Then build a process that supports the kind of writing life you actually want.
Want Help Getting Started With Dictation?
If you’d like to learn more about how I use dictation in my writing life, I have a few resources that may help.
- Start here for practical tips and encouragement.
- If you want more structured help, I offer a self-paced online course called Dictation 101.
- If you’re a member of Novel Academy or The Writing Gals, you may also find workshops I’ve taught in the course archives.
Happy to answer any additional questions you may have, so feel free to reach out.
About Heidi McCahan
Heidi McCahan began dreaming up stories as a little girl. Today, she is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author who writes uplifting small-town romance novels. A perfect day for Heidi includes a cup of good coffee, dark chocolate, and reading stories with happy endings. Originally from Alaska, she now lives in North Carolina with her handsome husband, three amazing sons, and the world’s greatest Goldendoodle.
