Any stenowriters turned voicewriters out there? Vice-versa?

[Kim Mohling]

I'm a machine shorthand student but I'm already having wrist trouble. I'm taking an intro to voicewriting at another school to see if it might be a viable alternative to steno. I thought I saw a post here the other day about a voicewriter attending steno school but i can't find the post now. I was really determined to learn steno thinking it would provide me with the most job security, flexibility and income.

I rented a more ergonomic machine (a Gemini writer) for a few weeks but I don't think it was enough time to really tell if it helped much. Also, the machine proved to be pretty unreliable during those few weeks. Maybe it was a demo thing. ;0 Anyway, I also wondered in anyone knew if the Lightspeed would be helpful with this problem or if it is just overall fatigue that it helps with more.

Any insight or advice would be so appreciated!

Thank you!

Kim

[Judy]

the machine proved to be pretty unreliable during those few weeks

Unreliable in what way? Like the wrong letters appeared on the screen/paper? Could you be a bit more specific?

[Kim Mohling]

Yeah, frequent garbage and letters I hadn't stroked. Several adjustments--after the initial one--were necessary--one was severe enough that I couldn't use the machine for several days (over a weekend) until I could catch up with Jason. I couldn't seem to get the sensitivity and stroke depth consistent with the keys. In all fairness to that machine, he did tell me that the rentals do take some abuse and I shouldn't expect to have those same issues with a new one. I'm not trying to put down the machine--I'm sure the Gemini is a good writer, I just figured that I have done enough damage to my wrists that a week or so of writing on an ergonomically correct machine is probably not a long enough period of time to really tell if it is helping or not.

[Patricia Babits]

There is a woman who posts on depoman. I think her name is Tori. She does voice and machine. I think she uses voice when her wrists are not doing well.

[JiLL]

I am a voicewriting student... i love it! I started out with the machine as well.

[Julie Samford]

Hi -
I'm so sorry to hear about your wrist trouble. I have talked to a couple of steno reporters who have been injured in a car accident or got carpal tunnel that went into voice writing.

I don't know where you're located, but there's a school in Des Moines, Iowa, that's training voice writers to be captioners. It's AIB, if you want to check into it. Captioning is a good option because you can speak openly into a microphone instead of that mask muffling your words, and you get better recognition. I'm no expert on voice, but that's my understanding.

I also know the captioners from AIB are getting good-paying jobs, and there's a local TV station there that just bought three captioning systems. That might be a good option for you.

I know when I was reporting, my arms ached from all the time editing on the computer (before I got good software) so I hope that's not an issue for you, too. There's an Eclipse trainer I just met on CSRnation that uses Dragon voice software to edit her steno transcripts. That might be a great option for you.

Good luck with your wrists and your big decision!
Julie

[JiLL]

So i take it that mask reporters are hired as broadcast captioners? This is great, if so! I wonder if tv stations & caption companies are strict on us voicewriters as they are in the court system and everywhere else?

[Julie Samford]

Well, they're hired as broadcast captioners, but you speak into a mic because you don't have to have a mask. I can't speak to the strictness, but all I know is the grads are getting jobs!

Good luck in your career, Jill!

[Montrell Vann, RMR, RDR, CRR]

I think it's important to note that the mask reporters that are being hired as broadcast captioners have been to school, trained and are efficient in "realtime" and are "realtime" ready, not just mask reporters. The term "voicewriter" these days is used synonomously in referring to all mask reporters whether they are performing realtime or not. TV stations and caption companies are as strict on machine reporters as they are on mask reporters. It's no more strict for one method over the other. The court system and everywhere else is strict on reporters whether you are a machine reporter or a mask reporter. Each method is held to the same requirements and standards.

[JiLL]

Thanks guys!