It’s Thursday! Congratulations to us. We’ve made it this far!

I started this week off with a nice, hefty, round of edits from my new editor, which means, I’m definitely ready for the weekend. That started me thinking about my editing process and how valuable a role Text-To-Speech has come to play in my process.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re writing fiction on this semester’s term paper. Taking the time to double-check your work is never a bad move. What better way than for someone else to do the reading for you? With that in mind, let’s clear up some basics.

What Is T-T-S?

If you aren’t familiar, T-T-S technology converts written text into spoken output. Most of us envision a Stephen Hawking-like voice reading to us, but I found a great voice that brought my text to life. From that point forward, I’ve used T-T-S to read my work while I follow along.

What Do I Use To Edit With T-T-S?

I’ve got a specific set of tools that I use for this.

  • My trusty iPad
  • A great app called Voice Dream Reader that is now available on Android.
  • Brian, an Ivona UK English voice. Some of my past students have dubbed him “British Brian.” He’s my go-to TTS voice.

How Does It Work?

Every device is different, but with my setup, it’s a breeze. I:

  1. Export chapters from Ulysses on the iPad directly into Voice Dream. I can also add Word Docs, EPubs and other formats into this app.
  2. I open the file in Voice Dream Reader.
  3. Pick the spot where I want to begin listening.
  4. Press Play.
  5. I listen to Brian read my text, follow along as he’s reading, and use the built-in tools to note any changes.

Want to see a demo? Check out our Nerd Nanosecond below!

YouTube