Transcriptionist Notes

Variety is Truly the Spice of Life!

2011-12-22T16:27:00.000-08:00

One of the wonderful benefits about owning a Creative Transcription company is the vast array of subject matter that we encounter. For instance, we really enjoy working with V. Stewart & Associates, a Roofing and Sheet Metal Consultant company. They work on such a wide variety of projects that their recordings are never the same. We also have the pleasure of working with film production companies, technology firms, reporters, interviewers, etc. that cover almost any subject matter you can think of from doughnuts to the latest and greatest in the cyber world. We can honestly can say that we learn something new every day.

A Few Tips to Make Your Recordings Count

2011-12-22T15:33:00.000-08:00

Here are some easy ways to make sure your recording can be transcribed without having more holes in it than Swiss cheese:

Be sure you have extra batteries for your recorder and microphones (if you have external microphones)
Turn your equipment ON (including any external microphones you may have.)
ALWAYS test your recorders and microphones each and every time before using them. Avoid the horrible feeling of a recording being lost because something was plugged in quite right or turned on properly.
Use two recorders simultaneously. Think of it as insurance just in case the other recorder does not perform as expected. There are no "do overs" when recording interviews, meetings or conferences.
When recording an interview, do it in as quiet a place as possible. Papers shuffling, doors opening and closing, water being poured into a glass, phones ringing are all things that are impossible to hear over. Just remember, if it can't heard, it can't be typed.
Do not move recorder or microphones after you have started recording as it will make it impossible to hear anything said during that time.

Follow these simple guidelines and your recordings will a breeze to type!

How do you know that your website is working?

2011-12-07T11:29:00.000-08:00

We at http://www.ladyoflettersinc.com/ kept asking this very question! How do you know that your website is working? We had no idea until we launched Google Analytics.

This free hosted software helped us learn the following:

• Who is looking for our site and where are they looking from (Internet browser, referring site or other)

• How long do visitors spend on our site?

• New vs. Returning visitors?

• And so much more all presented in very cool looking graphs and tables

For example, we went from not know how many people had visited http://www.ladyofletttersinc.com/ to knowing that we had 80 visitors in 30 days during November.

Now that might not be the numbers of Amazon, but it made us feel good about our site and that helps us sleep just a little bit better. We love knowing that our site is working! For more information visit http://www.google.com/analytics/ . Good luck with your website!

Come back!!!!!!

2011-12-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

We recently discovered a problem with our website that affected the Join the Team fuction. If you have been to the website and filled out the forms and took the test since July of 2011 and did not hear from us, please email cltrapp@ladyoflettersinc.com. Data was lost and so some submissions were never received. Thank you!

Creative Transcription Done Right

2010-09-14T12:21:00.001-07:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Creative Transcription Done Right

View more presentations from Caren Trapp.

Two Monitors or Not Two Monitors, That Is The Question!

2010-07-25T10:29:00.000-07:00

Recently, on the advice of my trusted IT advisor, Will Cox, who is the best in the business, (will@mustangtechs.com) I purchased a new computer. I had beaten my old one into a pulp and it just flat out refused to perform for me any longer. Like most Internet business owners, my technology is my business lifeline so a new computer was mission critical. Little did I know what wonderful new things awaited me. Windows 7 have some great improvements and time saving features. Will also suggested having two monitors instead of one. This idea intrigued me so I thought, what the heck, might as well try it.

Wow! Now that I have two, I don't know how I survived with just one! I am so much more organized and productive. I stay on top of projects and emails better, faster and easier because I am not having to open/close or minimize/restore programs. My emails and whatever other programs I need to see at a glance are on one monitor while I am able to work on the other!

If you haven't checked out Windows 7, you should and if you have ever thought about what it would be like to have another monitor, I am here to tell you it is GREAT!

Did you ever want to see your name in print?

2010-03-24T13:03:00.000-07:00

Everyone has an expertise and/or a story to tell, I have been looking for my opportunity to enter the world of the published community and in doing some research, I discovered the power of co-authoring.

Co-authoring helps maximize credibility while minimizing the obvious risks associated with a published venture such as a book. If you are considering becoming an author, I have a contact you should reach out to. I recently met a writing coach, Caterina Rando of Power Dynamics Publishing, she specializes in compiling chapters for collaborative books. Currently she is working on a manuscript called Incredible Business. She seeks contributing co-authors with an expertise and the ability to consult in their field. For more information on this opportunity and the nuts and bolts of how it works, email Caterina at cat@powerdynamicspub.com, tell her the Lady of Letters sent you!

Tape vs Digital - Who Will Win?

2010-03-06T08:14:00.000-08:00

In the world of transcription, digital is CHAMP!

While at first glance cassette tapes may seem easier to deal with, they have numerous disadvantages. Tapes are very fragile because they can get stretched very easily making it impossible to hear them clearly. The speaker will either sound like Mickey Mouse on speed or someone talking in extreme slow motion. Either way, it adds up to garbage and cannot be transcribed. Also, cassette tape cases are breakable and there is virtually no way to repair them to a point where they can be played back properly. Then there is the hassle of moving tapes from person to person. Standard mail is slow and has, of late, had a poor track record for dependability.

Digital, on the other hand, has none of those disadvantages. It cannot be stretched, physically broken and is extremely easy to move around. The other added benefit is that the recording quality is highly superior to tape. So if you are trying to decide whether or not the nominal investment for a digital recorder is worth it or not, the answer is unequivocally YES!

Timing Is Everything!

2010-02-18T10:34:00.000-08:00

No matter how advanced technology has become, transcription is still a manual labor job. Converting audio into text is not the same as converting mp4 to mp3 or ripping an audio off of a video. Transcription takes real time to accomplish. For instance, a 1 hour audio will take 3-4 hours to transcribe. There are no shortcuts and no special software to speed up the process.

Now, you may be thinking, "What about that software that types as you talk?" That technology is available but it is severely limited. First, you have to train it to your voice which takes about a solid hour of talking. Second, it cannot distinguish between different speakers. It is only able to learn one voice. And third, it is only about 70% accurate. This technology works pretty well for emails and short letters but that's about all.

Morale To The Story: When you need a transcript produced, keep in mind that it takes real time to complete. Calculate your deadline appropriately. If your deadline is too thin, then you may have to pay rush rates or end up having to transcribe it yourself. Neither of which is desirable!

How did I miss that?

2010-02-08T10:55:00.000-08:00

Sometimes seeing is not believing. This is especially true when you are proofing your own work. Since you already know how it should read, your brain lets you believe that is exactly what you are seeing as you proof your work.

There are remedies available. For instance, instead of reading from left to right, read from right to left. This forces your eye to read each word on its own which helps prevent your brain from seeing words that really aren’t there.

Another helpful tool is found in most versions of Word. Under the Tools dropdown menu there is an option labeled Speech; when you click on it, a new toolbar will appear. Just highlight the text you want to proof and click on Speak. Your computer will read back to you what was typed (you can pick either a male or female voice). This method works best if you are typing from hard copy because then you have something to proof against.

Having someone else read your work is another option. However, you have to choose a person who has the appropriate qualifications for proofreading.

The best option is to utilize a professional. They will be faster and more accurate which leaves you more time for writing, speaking engagements, classes, seminars, and so on. In fact, when you hire a creative transcription service to do the typing, proofreading is included at no extra charge. Sounds like a win-win situation to me!

How To Get Your Book Completed Faster!

2010-01-29T08:02:00.000-08:00

If you have ever listened to a presentation or teleclass on effecive writing or conducting interviews, then you undoubtedly heard that using a good creative transcription service greatly speeds up the process of completing your book, article or any other type of writing. It's true!

A transcriptionist will convert your words into print quickly and accurately. By having your words in text format, you can easily manipulate them to create the exact content you desire. This leaves more time for appearances, networking, classes and personal time.

A good creative transcription service is an invaluable asset in the race to being published!

Whew, Glad The Holidays Are Over!

2010-01-04T15:08:00.000-08:00

Well, we made it through another holiday season. It seems to me that it might be nice if Christmas happened every other year instead of every year. Just think of it, you would have a 2 year hiatus! That would leave more time to concentrate on strengthening our financial situations before having to think about shopping for Christmas gifts again! Think of the stress that would save by knowing that after Thanksgiving, Christmas is still another year away! Wow!

Now that’s an interesting concept. We could even extend the Thanksgiving holiday time by a few days on the non-Christmas years. That way we still have time to get together and enjoy family each year. I think this idea has merit, now I just need to figure out how to get this past Santa.

Everybody Needs Somebody Sometime

2009-11-07T14:44:00.000-08:00

It used to be that when you started a business it was location, location, location. Nowadays, with the advances of technology, it is changed to IT support, IT support, IT support. My IT support person, Will Cox of Mustang Technology (will@.mustangtechs.com) has been an integral part of ensuring that my business keeps running without interruption. He has taken the time to learn my business, my goals and work with me as a partner because he realizes that as long as I am successful, he will successful. I am constantly referring him to family, friends and colleagues.

The second vital thing to remember when it comes to IT support is that you absolutely CAN NOT entrust IT support for your business to a family member or friend unless they have the proper credentials AND get PAID for their services. It may sound funny to insist on paying someone if they offer to work for free, however, it has been my experience that work performed for free is worth every penny.

In Case You Were Wondering

2009-10-09T09:00:00.001-07:00

In a nutshell, Lady of Letters converts any audio or video (except for medical & legal) into text. There are many times when having a text copy is necessary, convenient and easier to deal with than an audio or video. It is extremely preferable for editing and composing rather than having to constantly play and rewind an audio or video.

Some examples of who uses our services:

Writers who record their notes and/or interviews.
Companies and municipalities that need minutes of meetings.
Doctoral students who have recorded interviews in preparation for review committees.
Video production companies to aide in editing movies, docmentaries, commericals, testimonials and presentations.
Conventions and conference event planners

Tips on Recording Interviews, Meetings, etc.

2009-09-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

There really is no mystery to being able to create a good recording of an interview, a meeting, a speech, etc. It doesn't require a huge investment either. Any digital recorder that has the ability to download to a computer will work and they can usually be picked up your local store for far below $100. The microphone is built right in and, if need be, additional microphones can be purchased. Just be sure to tell the store salesperson what you are going to use it for and they can steer you to the right device.

Next, make sure that the recorder you purchase has enough time allowable on it to suit your needs, whether that be 8 hours or 80 hours. Always buy one that has the ability to record longer then you think you will need. Become familiar with the unit's operation and be sure to read the instructions that come with it. That will save a lot of confusion and frustration later on.

Probably the most important thing is to ALWAYS test the recorder beforehand each and every time you use it and always carry spare batteries. Nothing quite like having the recorder die in the middle of everything to make your day complete.

The other vital element to a good recording is to minimize background noise whenever possible. If the environment you are recording in has too much background noise, it will make transcribing extremely difficult and time consuming. The result is higher costs for transcription. This also holds true if you are recording more than one person at a time and they talk over each other. It is nearly impossible for a transcriptionist to pick out what is being said not to mention who said what.

If you follow these simple guidelines, your recordings will be of a higher quality which means a huge savings for you in time, money and headaches!

A rose by any other name?

2009-07-26T08:10:00.000-07:00

Why is it that as we strive for equality we still have to separate ourselves from each other with labels that only serve to keep us divided? For instance, African American and Native American. If you are born here, or in any country, doesn't that automatically make you a Native of that country? The definition of native is: born in a particular place or country. Likewise if you are a citizen of America, doesn't that make you an American?

So why does society insist on putting African or Native in front of the term American? You don't hear terms such as "German American" or "French American", etc., these groups are referred to as Americans. So why is it society feels the need to preface it for certain groups of Americans? This practice only keeps the walls of inequality standing. To become truly equal, don't we first have to think of ourselves as equals? One good step in that direction, in my opinion, is to do away with these types of labels.

Note 1

2008-10-07T12:10:00.000-07:00

Americans putting Americans to work. Due to the current economic status of America slipping lower and lower, I believe the only true solution is to be an American putting other Americans to work. We need to stop the offshore outsourcing. I do believe that we are in an economically dark tunnel but every tunnel has and end as long as we all move towards the light.

I’ve worked hard to create jobs for fellow Americans in the field of transcription. I founded Lady of Letters five years ago with the idea that there is a need for more than just legal and medical transcription. And I was right! We have clients who are corporate, private, creative, and municipal just to name a few. My team of transcriptionists are all across America from all walks of life. Though I can’t speak to other industries, transcription is still surviving and, in some ways, growing as people become more aware of the value of having transcripts.

In my last Google search for transcriptionist services, I found a vast majority of companies outsource their services offshore. A majority of my clients that have gone down that road encountered a laundry list of issues ranging from language barriers, slow turnaround, incorrect grammar, poor sentence structure and many others. Our client’s report that since switching to Lady of Letters, where their standards are met or exceeded, the transcripts become an asset instead of a liability.

I feel it’s vital for Americans, like myself, to continue to utilize other Americans in the workforce. Stop sacrificing quality for cost and keep American money working in American. I’m not just flag waving; this is my way of living, doing business, and participating in the Free Market. Thank you for listening and I’ll see you on the other side of the tunnel.