How to Dictate Your Book, with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer

If you’ve ever ended a writing day with sore wrists, tight shoulders, and a brain that feels like mush, this conversation is for you. 

In this episode, I’m joined by my friend Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer—author of 19 books and the creator of two signature programs: Fiction Writing: American Indians (for writing authentic stories that honor Native history and culture) and the Dictation Bootcamp for authors. 

You may know Sarah from Joanna Penn’s The Creative Penn podcast, Jane Friedman’s blog, or Writer’s Digest. She’s generous, practical, and wildly encouraging about helping writers write more comfortably and consistently.

Sarah didn’t become a “natural” dictator overnight. In fact, she tried and failed multiple times—starting back in 2013 with Dragon Anywhere—before finding a simple routine that stuck. 

The turning point? A kitchen-sink moment when a full backstory scene arrived in her head and she spoke it into her phone while doing the dishes. Twenty minutes later she had ~1,500 words that would have otherwise vanished. That one experiment led her to dictate an entire novel, and since then she’s dictated 14 books (11 already published, with more on the way). Her writing speed doubled, but more importantly, she built a healthier, more sustainable practice.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Why dictation isn’t just about speed—it’s about sustainability, creativity, and capturing scenes before they disappear.
  
  
• Practical ways to dictate (curled up on the couch, during a morning routine, on a walk, or at your desk).
  
  
• How to start messy on purpose so your brain learns the new skill without shutting down.
  
  
• The three biggest beginner mistakes—and how to avoid them.

About the Dictation Bootcamp:
 Sarah’s four-day Bootcamp is intentionally beginner-friendly. We start with a casual “pre-party,” then three days of step-by-step training. Day 1 is simply getting your existing device to work (no fancy setup required). Day 2 builds confidence with an easy, low-pressure exercise. Day 3 guides you into dictating your first scene of fiction. 

There’s community support for device quirks (PC, Mac, Android, iPhone) and simple workflows into your writing software (e.g., Scrivener or Atticus). The goal isn’t to finish a novel in a weekend—it’s to lower the bar so you can take your first real steps.

Join Me!
 I’m signing up for Sarah’s Dictation Bootcamp, and I’d love for you to come with me. Even if you decide it’s not your forever tool, you’ll finish knowing exactly how to make dictation work for your writing life. Click the link above and let’s try this together.