All right, let’s get the Napoleon jokes out of the way. I’m short, flamboyant, and I love to dictate—my novels, that is.

I first started dictating text messages when I went blind in 2017, and what started as a necessity has turned into the only way I’m able to complete seven novels.

This week I’m chatting with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer, author of 19 books—and counting, host of The Confident Fiction Author podcast, and the queen of dictation.

One dishwashing session changed her life: she spoke 1,500 words in 20 minutes, and she’s been dictating every first draft since.

For the record—I still mutter one sentence at a time. Yes, I’ll be taking her Dictation Bootcamp next week for the SECOND time, and if you know what’s good for your wrists, I’ll see you there too.

Dictating isn’t just about writing faster. It’s about writing LONGER. Having a sustainable writing career that won’t wreck your body. Whether you’re navigating chronic illness and disability like me, or you just want to dodge the carpal tunnel coming for every writer, dictation might be as vital as your next deadlift.

We cover:

• Why you don’t need fancy equipment or expensive software—the phone in your hand is enough

• Quick tips for getting started and overcoming the awkwardness of speaking fiction aloud

• The huge difference between dictating nonfiction, texts, and full-on story worlds

• How dictation isn’t just faster—it’s a lifeline for writer health and longevity

• What really happens inside Dictation Bootcamp (hint: it’s equal parts training and Hamlet soliloquy)

⁠Sign up HERE for Sarah’s last Dictation Boot Camp of the year⁠—I’ll be there!

Timestamps:

00:00 Dictating…Cuz I Was Blind

02:21 Dictating Was Epic! (Epic Failure…)

05:12 7 Years of False Starts

06:15 Fiction vs. Nonfiction Dictation

07:53 Small Steps to Start Dictation

08:35 Doing Dishes Changed Everything

11:19 Tips for New Dictators (uh, Authors)

13:56 Sophia’s Going Back to Bootcamp

14:56 Dictation: Not Just a Luxury for Writers’ Health

17:41 Low-Tech Ways to Begin

19:55 The Dictation Bootcamp Experience

22:57 Where to Find Sarah

If you’ve ever said “I don’t have time to write” or felt your hands ache after a long session at the keyboard, this episode is your sign to give dictation a try.

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