My friend Matthew is brilliant. Not just because he’s the poetry editor of Structo magazine out of Manchester, UK but because he introduced me to a spectacular function on my new iPhone. While I know the word iPhone can cause people to gag (and wonder if it is actually a word. What does the “i” in iPhone stand for? And why is improper grammar accepted with the spelling of it’s name? For another time “i” suppose) but please don’t hate me. I’m just trying to share a little trick that might help a struggling writer.

I bring up the iPhone today not because having constant access to email and internet distractions is cool but because of the dictate function in the notes app.

When Matthew mentioned it I was a little skeptical and guessed that it would come out like Spanglish or Frenglish. But thankfully, I was wrong. I can talk much faster than I can type. The main danger, besides the one of phone addiction which many in our world suffer from every day, is forgetting to edit the speak-type (writing like you talk).

This technological sweetness may not seem like a novel idea to you, or of much use, but it has helped me. And that is what this blog is about. Trying to help writers get “there”. I can finish a blog post or talk out some Tweets and then copy them from my email, do a quick proofread and schedule. It frees up a lot of time to do what I want to do, namely, work on my novel.

So my challenge to you is to try it. If you battle the endless war of book vs. platform like I do all of the time, and have a device like mine, this might be for you. You could talk out the post, edit in your free notes app, and email it to yourself for a quick copy and paste to your blog or website. This technology may have been out for years but sometimes I am slow to pick up trends – fashion, gadgety, or otherwise – so please forgive me. But while you are doing that, try it. You won’t be sorry (No, I don’t get a ikickback for this post).

One thing’s for sure. If Mr. Dickens had this technology, he’d probably have taken over the world.

Keep writing friends.

Cheers,

Bob