Insider Tip One: Voice Recognition Software versus Transcriptionists

What do hospitals, teleseminar hosts, songwriters, and e-book writers have in common? They all need their audio or video files to be transcribed into excellent documents. Which is better? Is it better to have an expensive voice recognition program that will automatically create documents from your dictation? Is it better to hire a live transcriptionist to transcribe your audio and proofread and edit as they go? That's the question we'll explore here.

I suppose you've heard a lot about voice recognition software, especially with companies like Google marketing Google Voice. There are a lot of people selling this type of software on the Web. The thing that they don't tell you in their sales pitch is, in order to get flawless documents from your dictation/audio is to speak perfectly, with perfect annunciation, perfect grammar, without false starts or "Um" or "You know" or "So..." and then you have to count on the software to work perfectly. The problem is, no dictator is perfect, and no voice recognition software is perfect. Thus, you end up with garbled unintelligible mush that you or someone else has to deal with. In the end, you would be much better off hiring a reasonably priced transcriptionist to transcribe your audio or video perfectly the first time. If you don't, you're paying for very expensive software that doesn't do the job completely, then paying for it to be gone over with a fine tooth comb by a paid transcriptionist for errors. That's just not a good use of your money or time. The answer? Hire a freelance transcriptionist to work for you who has your best interests in mind and who is willing to follow your document needs to the letter. You don't have to use a large corporate transcription service. They're too impersonal and deal with such a large volume of documents that you get lost in the shuffle. Find an IC at home transcriptionist who will work for you personally and be your personal transcriptionist. They aim to please, and you will be delighted at the great quality of work they turn out in record time!

For six other "Insider Tips" see the article below.

Getting Great Documents from Your Audio or Videos: Seven Insider Tips

1. Don't bother with voice recognition software. You will have to have someone proofread and edit your transcript heavily afterwards anyway. Get an affordable speedy transcriptionist instead right from the start. You'll save money in the long run.

2. Make sure your audio is clear, free of static and background noise, and that the person(s) speaking is being as articulate as possible. Using a good quality microphone is key. Also testing your audio equipment in the same environment in which you will be using it first will save you a lot of headaches later.

3. Remember who your target audience is and stay on topic. Try to remember that you are being recorded and omit the types of verbal trackbacks that you use when talking casually. Write things down if it helps.

4. Don't record more than 30 minutes at a time--it will be too cumbersome a document to read otherwise, unless you plan to create several chapters in an e-book or it is part of a larger body of work.

5. If your audio/video is a webinar or teleseminar, make sure you clearly identify each caller and spell their names for your transcriptionist ahead of time.

6. Find a transcriptionist with whom you can relate to well personally and who is willing to transcribe your transcripts just the way you like them done. There are disagreeable and agreeable transcriptionists. Shoot for the latter!

7. Make sure your transcription service is US-based (no outsourcing--it's just not worth the potential savings), affordable, quick, and uses English accurately.

I will expand upon each of these seven tips individually in my next article.

New Editing and Proofreading Pricing

Do you need some editing done on a book, an e-book, a website, a term paper, or thesis? You've come to the right place! How much do I charge for such services? Here are my very affordable prices:

• For heaving editing = $3 per page (1 1/2 to double-spaced). For single-spaced, it would be $4.
• For light editing and/or proofreading = $1.50 per page (for 1 1/2 to double-spaced). For single-spaced, it would be $2.

Contact me at aaatranscription@sbcglobal.net or leave a comment on this blog after this article. I will be in touch.

Transcriptionist for Hire

• Are you looking for someone to transcribe your audio or video files?
• Perhaps you need someone to proofread your latest book or e-book.
• Maybe you've gotten some comments on your website stating that you have lots of spelling errors or poor grammar.
• Maybe you own a general or medical transcription company and are looking for independent contractors to work for you.

If you said, "Yes!" to any of the above, then you've landed at the right place. It would be a pleasure to work for you and make your products more appealing, more marketable, and more gramatically correct.

Check out "A Bit About Me" for my qualifications, and feel free to ask me any questions you have.