Product Placement: Audio Recording + Transcribing Resources

[RCA Rp5022 64 Mb Voice Recorder With Usb, $19.98, Amazon]

[Olympus TP-7 Telephone Recording Device, $17.71, Amazon]

I’ve been doing a lot of interviews lately and, to get the job done, I’ve been using the items above.

My voice recorder (new versions are available) has a ton of storage place, allows me to place markers within my sound files, and includes a USB port for uploading to my computer. My telephone recording device also works like a charm, one end plugging into my recorder, the other going into my ear, allowing me to record all of my telephone interviews. Both of them being quite cheap, I’d recommend them to any writer on a budget.

But once the interviews are done, the worst part still remains: transcribing.

After the jump, a few resources for those who wish transcribing could be easier, or for those who’d like to outsource it altogether!

Voice Recognition Software:

Dragon NaturallySpeaking, $89-$649:

Lydia Dishman first recommended this software to me and, upon conducting a web search, I found that the rest of the world was apparently gaga over it as well.

Basically, Dragon’s software is supposed to be tops, even with recorded conversations. Buyer beware, though: Some users insist that it still works best as a note-taker, for use by one person speaking to it over time. These tough customers insist that no software exists that can work as well as human transcription outsourcing services.

Virtual Assistants:

(prices listed below are estimated averages)

• AssistU, $20+/hr.
• International Virtual Assistants Association, $20+/hr.
• Virtual Assistant Association, $35-$70/hr.
• Virtual Assistant Networking Association, $35/hr.