How to write without typing for writers in 2026

A plain how-to for writers who want to get words onto the page by speaking: what to prepare, the steps, tool options and mistakes to avoid.

By XP Daily · 2026-10-09

XP Daily is published by the makers of DaysAid, QuickDictate and YTSort, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Pick a dictation tool that types into the program you already write in, speak in short passages, and fix errors in a separate pass. On Windows 10 or 11, QuickDictate types what you say into the window you are working in. ^[1] ^[1]

Option	System	Cost	Where speech is processed
QuickDictate with a cloud provider	Windows 10 and 11 only ^[1]	Free for personal and noncommercial use; the provider bills you separately ^[1]	The provider you pick, such as ElevenLabs, Deepgram, OpenAI, AssemblyAI, DashScope or Google ^[1]
QuickDictate with a local model	Windows 10 and 11 only ^[1]	Free for personal and noncommercial use ^[1]	Runs on your computer, no internet needed ^[1]

What you need before you start

Writing by voice needs a few things in place before the first sentence.

A decent microphone. A headset or a desk microphone close to your mouth gives the software clearer sound than a laptop speaker grille across the room.
A quiet room. Background talk, a television or a fan makes the text worse, and you will spend your time fixing it.
The program you write in. Decide whether you will speak into a word processor, a notes app, a manuscript tool or an email. Some tools type into whichever window is active, so you can keep your usual workspace. ^[1]
A computer that fits the tool. Check the system requirements first. QuickDictate, for example, runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11, and there is no Mac or Linux version. ^[1]
A list of tricky words. Character names, place names and invented terms are the words most likely to come out wrong. Write them down before you begin.
A rough outline. Speaking is faster when you know what comes next. A few bullet points per scene or section are enough.

Also decide whether your text may leave your computer. Some tools send your voice to an online service, and others run on your own machine. That choice matters for unpublished manuscripts.

Step by step

These steps apply to any dictation tool.

Choose where the text will land. Open the document you want to fill. Put the cursor where the new words should go.
Set up your microphone. Select it in your computer's sound settings and speak a test sentence. If the words appear wrongly, move the microphone closer or reduce noise.
Learn the start and stop control. Find out how your tool starts and stops listening. With QuickDictate you hold a key combination you choose while you talk, or tap it to start and stop, and you can change both. ^[1]
Add your tricky words. If the tool allows it, enter names and terms ahead of time. QuickDictate lets you list words and phrases that are passed to the online speech service to help it recognise them. ^[1]
Speak in short passages. Say a sentence or two, then pause. Short passages are easier to check and easier to undo.
Keep going without stopping to edit. Draft first. Mark weak spots with a note to yourself and move on.
Undo a bad passage quickly. In QuickDictate, saying "scratch that" undoes what you just dictated. ^[1]
Fix repeat errors with a replacement. If a name always comes out wrong, a list of fixes can correct it, such as changing "Chat GPT" to "ChatGPT". ^[1]
Read the draft aloud or on screen. Spoken drafts often read as talk. Tighten sentences and add the structure you did not say out loud.
Save and keep a copy. Save the document as usual. If your tool keeps a history, it can help you recover a passage. QuickDictate lets you browse your last 50 dictations in Settings. ^[1]

After a few sessions you will find your own rhythm for how long to speak before checking.

Tools that can do it

QuickDictate is made by the team that publishes this site. It is one option, and it runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11. ^[1]

When you compare another tool, check which systems it runs on, what it costs, whether it works with your writing program, and where your voice is processed.

QuickDictate with a cloud provider. You can use an online speech service that you pay yourself: ElevenLabs, Deepgram, OpenAI, AssemblyAI, DashScope or Google, and that company bills you directly. ^[1] Cloud providers bill you separately for their service, while the app itself is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account. ^[1] With five of the cloud providers, words appear while you are still talking. ^[1]

QuickDictate with a local model. It can run on your own computer, so you can dictate with no internet. ^[1]

Other things it does for a writing day. What you say is typed into whichever window has focus, such as an editor, chat box, terminal or web form. ^[1] It can change settings for each program you use. ^[1] While you are dictating, other apps' audio is muted or turned down, and it goes back to its old level when you stop. ^[1]

Things to check before you choose. Commercial use needs a separate licence. ^[1] It is free for personal and other noncommercial use, and cloud providers bill you separately for their service. ^[1] If you write for pay, read the licence terms first. You download one file from the maker's page, and it updates itself. ^[1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Editing while you speak. Stopping to fix each word breaks your flow. Draft first, then edit in a separate pass.

Speaking in very long runs. Long passages are hard to check and hard to undo.

Skipping the word list. Names and invented terms are the usual trouble. Adding them early saves repeated fixes, and a list of fixes can correct a spelling that keeps coming back. ^[1]

Ignoring where your voice goes. With QuickDictate, an online speech service you choose bills you directly. ^[1] Running on your own computer needs no internet. ^[1]

Expecting spoken commands for everything. QuickDictate has one voice command, "scratch that", so plan to do other editing by keyboard or mouse. ^[1]

Skipping the licence check. The app is free for noncommercial use, but commercial use needs a separate licence. ^[1] ^[1]

Trusting the first draft. Spoken text reads differently from written text. Always read it through once before sharing it.

Frequently asked questions

Can writers really draft a whole chapter by voice?

Yes, in the sense that a dictation tool turns speech into text in your document. Speak in short passages, keep a word list for names, and edit in a separate pass. Expect to tidy the text afterwards, because spoken sentences usually need tightening before they read well on the page.

Does dictation software need an internet connection?

It depends on the tool. QuickDictate can run on your own computer, so you can dictate with no internet. ^[1] Check this for any other tool you consider.

Does QuickDictate work on a Mac?

No. It runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11, and there is no Mac or Linux version. ^[1] If you write on another system, check the requirements of any other tool before you rely on it.

Is QuickDictate free for writers?

It is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account. ^[1] Cloud providers bill you separately for their service. ^[1] Commercial use needs a separate licence, so writers who are paid for their work should read the licence terms first. ^[1]

How to fix a word that dictation keeps getting wrong?

Add it to a word list so the tool can recognise it, and use a replacement for stubborn spellings. QuickDictate lets you list words to help the online speech service recognise them, and a list of fixes can change "Chat GPT" to "ChatGPT". ^[1] Check any other tool for similar options.

QuickDictate is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account. Cloud providers bill you separately for their service. ^[1]

Try QuickDictate

Sources

QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)