by Tari Faris, @FarisTari

Last month I increased my fast draft speed by 350%. That’s right—I went from getting about 1000 words on my fast draft in an hour to getting 3500 words.

How did I get 3500 words in an hour?

Dictating. 

Dictating isn’t a new idea, in fact, I tried it years ago. However, every time I tried, I didn’t like it. It felt uncomfortable. Like wearing pants that were a size too small. It felt awkward and distracting.

There was something about typing that allowed me to disengage my practical mind, engage my creative mind, and just live in the scene. I needed that fingers-to-keys connection to create. Or so I thought.

What I failed to realize was the connection I have always felt with my keyboard didn’t happen overnight. It wasn’t a love at first sight trope for us. I learned to craft story as I learned to engage my creative side when the fingers hit the keys. 

What is my point?If that was a method learned, then it is safe to say dictation is also a skill that can be learned. I will have to learn to speak my story smoothly, learn what software works best, and above all, learn how to engage my creative side while speaking and not just typing.

I’ll be honest, the beginning of those 3500 words were much rougher than the ending. As I started, I felt like I was stumbling through the scene, stuttering over my words. However, by the end of my writing time, I felt more connected to the characters, story, and world of my book. I was able to begin to step into that creative sweet spot.

I’ll admit, my story still flows better when I type. But if my typing averages 1000 in an hour when I can create, but I can dictate 3500 words of a choppier version of the scene, then it might be worth my effort to mold, stretch, and strengthen this skill of dictation. Perhaps eventually I will dictate as well as I type.

I will admit I still don’t love it. But let’s be honest, who loves writing the fast draft of a scene? The blank page is my enemy, so why not slay it with the best tools we have?

My challenge to you—stretch yourself in new ways to speed up your writing process. Give yourself room to grow. You might be surprised what you find.

Have you ever tried dictation?

What techniques have you learned that speed up your writing process?

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Since You’ve Been Gone

Leah Williams is back in the quaint town of Heritage, Michigan, and ready to try again to make her business a success. But blank slates are hard to come by, and a piece of her past is waiting for her there. Heir to the Heritage Fruits company, Jonathan Kensington is the guy who not only made Leah’s past difficult, he also seems determined to complicate her present as well.

Jon is trying to prove to the Heritage Fruits board that he, not his manipulative uncle, should be running the business. The board insists Jon find a new owner for the building that will house Leah’s business. To avoid forcing a buyout of Leah’s part of the building, Jon strikes a compromise with Leah, and the two go into business together. With her vision and his know-how, it might work. And Leah might realize he’s loved her since high school. If only he didn’t keep on shooting himself in the foot by boxing her out of important decisions.

Sparks fly in this romantic story of two people who must learn to trust both each other and the one who called them to this journey.

Available now for preorder! And visit linktr.ee/tarifaris to sign up for preorder rewards!

Tari Faris has been writing fiction for fifteen years but has been creating fiction in her head as long as she can remember. She is represented by Wendy Lawton at Books & Such Literary Management and is a member of ACFW and My Book Therapy. She was the 2017 Genesis winner, 2016 Genesis finalist, and 2014 Genesis finalist. In addition to her writing, she also works for My Book Therapy as a special project manager and writes for LearnHowToWriteANovel.com . When she is not writing or working, she spends time with her amazing husband and kids. In her free time, she loves coffee, rockhounding with her husband and kids, and distracting herself from housework. You can connect with her at www.tarifaris.com