Computer Alternatives

smiley10000 · Sep 24, 2006

I tried working on computer but have found I just write better with a pen and paper. The only problem is I am pulling my hair out when it comes to the transcription.

I was looking at alternatives. I want something portable and that I can handwrite (no keyboard...). Tablet PCs are out of my price range, so I was thinking about a digital pen.

Logitech and Maxell each have one that requires special paper and in the long run that will most likely cost more than the tablet pc!

The other option is something called the ACECAD DigiMemo but the computer geek Hubby can't seem to find any information.
Does anybody know anything about it? My main concern is my chicken scrawl is rather illegible. I know I will have to improve at least a little bit with any program I use but I wanted to know if anyone knows if this neat toy is worth the ~$100 investment...

Thanks for all your help!
:LilLove:

10000

Bartholomew · Sep 24, 2006

smiley10000 said:
I tried working on computer but have found I just write better with a pen and paper. The only problem is I am pulling my hair out when it comes to the transcription.

I was looking at alternatives. I want something portable and that I can handwrite (no keyboard...). Tablet PCs are out of my price range, so I was thinking about a digital pen.

Logitech and Maxell each have one that requires special paper and in the long run that will most likely cost more than the tablet pc!

The other option is something called the ACECAD DigiMemo but the computer geek Hubby can't seem to find any information.
Does anybody know anything about it? My main concern is my chicken scrawl is rather illegible. I know I will have to improve at least a little bit with any program I use but I wanted to know if anyone knows if this neat toy is worth the ~$100 investment...

Thanks for all your help!
10000

You could just get someone to type it for you.

PeeDee · Sep 24, 2006

Our local Circuit City had one out that I got to play with, and it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it a great deal. It was painless to use and upload...but then again, I was standing in a Circuit City where the guy had probably already worked out all the bugs.

The only reason I don't use it is, if I'm at the computer, I just write on the computer...or if I'm writing that particular work on paper, I go sit in the living room with the cats. I like the idea, in principle, of melding the two working methods -- especially for things like comic book scripts -- but I wouldn't use it.

THe reason being, when I go to type something handwritten into the computer, I'm not transcribing verbatum, I'm editing and cleaning up and re-writing, so that the notebook first draft turns into the computer file second draft.

PeeDee · Sep 24, 2006

Bartholomew said:
You could just get someone to type it for you.

I can let you borrow Juan, he's just about done with my dishes now.

Jamesaritchie · Sep 24, 2006

transcription

I write the majority of my first drafts in longhand, and transcription time is the perfect opportunity to do at least a mini-second draft. Take advantage of the opportunity. Don't just type your words into the computer, rewrite, revise, and edit as you go.

Popeyesays · Sep 24, 2006

I used to write verse in longhand all the time, but I got my first typewriter at 13, an old Royal Standard and taught myself how to type by touch.

Nowadays, I can't write longhand, it hurts my hands too much. Arthritis sucks.

Regards,
Scott

Deleted member 42 · Sep 24, 2006

You might be one of those people who does two drafts in long hand. That's OK.

You might try skipping every other line, if you've got hard to read handwriting; at regular intervals, go back and make sure you can read what you've written. Use the skipped line to make emendations.

Some people do a pencil draft, a pen draft, then keyboard.

PeeDee · Sep 24, 2006

Medievalist said:
You might try skipping every other line, if you've got hard to read handwriting; at regular intervals, go back and make sure you can read what you've written. Use the skipped line to make emendations.

Some people do a pencil draft, a pen draft, then keyboard.

Gee. Those are both interesting ideas that I hadn't previously considered. I like the idea of skipping a line, and then having that line to amend myself, or rephrase myself. That's neat. I don't always use lined paper, I mostly use this big floppy notebook I got from Barnes & Noble, which isn't lined...but I also use Legal Pads for some things, and I think I'll try that the next time.

...I also like the idea of a pencil draft/pen draft/keyboard draft. Unfortunately, I think I'm too impatient when it comes to my writing to actually do that. It's the sort of thing where I'd have to write two or three things at once, just to keep my muse from going mad.

Shadow_Ferret · Sep 24, 2006

Guess I just don't understand why you can't write it out longhand and then transcribe it to computer. That's what I used to do before the PC was invented. Transcribe it with typewriter and take that opportunity to rewrite it (kind of like james said, so I'm just being redundant).

TheIT · Sep 24, 2006

smiley10000, are you pulling your hair out because of the word processing software or because of the typing?

I compose with pen and paper, then I type it into a file and expand/revise as I type. I've never explored other alternatives.

LeeFlower · Sep 24, 2006

Smiley, I don't know what precisely about transcription is difficult for you, but if it's the actual 'typing' part, a a dictation program like Dragon NaturallySpeaking might help. All you need is a microphone for your computer. You can read your work alloud (which most people find useful for catching wierd phrazing and whatnot anyway) and it will appear on screen.

kuatolives · Sep 24, 2006

I wrote the bulk of my novel last spring in Egypt with this. Cost me 20 bucks. The keyboard cost 5 on amazon.com Also records voice records for flashes of brilliance. It's still a computer, but damned handy. Fits in your pocket.

kuatolives · Sep 24, 2006

that's a nickel by the way. I can't afford to take pictures with quarters.

KTC · Sep 24, 2006

Wow! Kuat. I'm impressed. That is portable, isn't it!

epicfantasy7 · Sep 24, 2006

The creative process

My writing has morphed over the years. My first novel was completely drafted longhand on spiral bound notebooks (I was convinced this was better for creativity). Halfway into the second novel I made the switch to my computer but I didn't totally give up on the hand-written notebooks. I keep a spiral bound notebook for each novel and I keep notes, names, ideas, plot points in there. It makes a nice accompaniment to the computer work and it makes editing a lot easier because I can find important stuff just by flipping through the pages.

Snitchcat · Sep 24, 2006

smiley10000 said:
I tried working on computer but have found I just write better with a pen and paper. The only problem is I am pulling my hair out when it comes to the transcription.

I was looking at alternatives. I want something portable and that I can handwrite (no keyboard...). Tablet PCs are out of my price range, so I was thinking about a digital pen.

I've seen those digi-memo pads around. Quite handy as I recall, although I didn't pick one up; I think it had something to do with the price when it first came out. But, I've not seen them recently at the computer centres I go to. I don't think they took off here.

Anyhow, I was going to suggest a flatbed scanner with OCR, but, that's not portable. You might try a handheld scanner with OCR, but you'd still need to connect it to something PC-ish.

Perhaps a Pocket PC with voice recording capabilities. You'd have to train the computer to recognise your oral input, but once done, you'd be able to dictate and let the computer transcribe for you.

You might also try a writing tablet and pen -- the USB ones. I don't know if they'd work with a Pocket PC or Palm, etc. The one thing that might irritate there is the actual writing area -- it's pretty small. However, it may be something to consider.

PeeDee · Sep 24, 2006

KTC said:
Wow! Kuat. I'm impressed. That is portable, isn't it!

Appearances are deceiving in this case. It actually weighs 1,200lbs, and has wheels on the back which you can't see in those pictures, nor can you see the "TEAM LIFT" sticker on the case.

I keep hearing about this Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Is this actually something I should look into? I played with voice recognition software about five years ago and was completely unimpressed. How intelligent is this, and more importantly, how well does it work for story writing?

Phouka · Sep 24, 2006

NaturallySpeaking gave me some of the funniest transcription errors I have ever seen -- but it does work well if you tend to write better 'verbally'. It has saved my husband's a-- writing papers, and I've tried it for doing dialog, and like it, although it requires me to speak very slowly and clearly. I tend to type faster than it can transcribe, so I don't use it.

It does offer the ability to 'back up' and correct errors as you talk, or at least the version I tried did that. You have to spend quite a bit of time training it to your own voice and pronunciation, but if you do that, it can be fairly accurate.

PeeDee · Sep 24, 2006

Dialogue is what I'm most curious about. I suppose having it actually punctuate my dialogue is too much to hope for (I don't suppose it does that?) .

Like most improvements, I will more than likely just pass it over and keep typing things out, or writing them out by pen.

Phouka · Sep 24, 2006

If I remember correctly (and that's a stretch, it's been about a year), you can specify punctuation as well -- as in, 'open-quote [pause] Don't bother [pause] comma close-quote'. I can't remember how to trigger the software to recognize it as a punctuation mark vs the word itself, but it should do it.

I had to do a lot of manual editing when I tried it -- the words themselves were ok, but formatting them was still a matter of editing/typing. I found it good when I tried to get a whole conversation down as it would be spoken, but then had to massage the resulting text to make it look 'written'.

smiley10000 · Sep 25, 2006

I type at a dreadfully slow pace. I have tried again and again to learn to touch type... but, it doesn't work for me...

I agree it is a good time to edit some things, but a full edit with the printed copy always works much better for me.

As for getting someone to type for me, PeeDee, Juan would have a long flight to get here and my Hubby can't read my chicken scratch.

Snitchcat, or anyone else for that matter, do you know of any OCR software that works with handwriting? My Hubby couldn't find anything... I have a scanner, so if it is a viable option it will definitely be cheaper.

The DigiMemo is only ~$100US now. It is not such a costly investment if I know it will work well.

Thanks everyone for the help!
:Hug2:

10000

Snitchcat · Sep 25, 2006

I found the following: http://www.brothersoft.com/Utilities_Scanner_and_OCR_PenReader_Desktop_Edition_9979.html However, I'm doubtful about it. I'll ask at the computer centres when I go down there again (which is regularly). (^_^)

Prawn · Sep 25, 2006

Word can do this if you have windows XP.

CHeck out this thread

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31716&highlight=voice+recognition

expatbrat · Sep 27, 2006

Learn to type faster. If you can type on this forum then you can type your WIP. Practice.

SeanDSchaffer · Sep 27, 2006

I usually write ideas out longhand, then first drafts (sometimes later drafts, as well) on the typewriter, and finally everything else on the computer. When I am writing longhand, I generally do so with a simple ball-point pen and a pad of paper.

And I think Medievalist's idea of skipping a line is a good idea. I might just try that next time I write down one of my ideas. I'm always crossing things out when writing longhand.

Computer Alternatives

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