An Otter wrote this blog post

Through the wonders of technology, AI, and voice I'm currently writing this blog post, whilst also taking an evening walk.*

*Square brackets indicate missed words or grammatical errors, strike-throughs are where the voice recording transcription software got it wrong.

I'm using the Otter app [which] takes digital recordings and transcribe[s] them into written text.

[I] discovered the app through [two] Twitter content creators who have been adding a lot of value to my life recently, Kevin [Kieran] [D]rew [and] Dickie [B]ush.

I can't remember which one talked about using [O]tter as a bit of a brain dump and [when you] take a walk to get your ideas down.

Only [I'm] using this [in a] practical way to try and actually write a blog post.

We'll see how successful it is. [Who knows.]

At the beginning of this [recording I almost] just got run over by a cyclist using my noise cancelling headphones, which on reflection is rather foolish.

The mic attached to the headphones is very very good. I have, I confess [already done one recording and attempted this.] or didn't want the recording and attempt to this

[It] was a 12 minute spoken attempt. [But] unfortunately, there is [an] advanced setting where you can choose to record through your Bluetooth device.

[I]n the first attempt, I was recording through the phone still, which was in my pocket, so is [it was] 12 minutes of muffled noise.

[Q]uite staggering[ly], [i]t still needs [managed] to pick out a few words, but none of them were usable and my intention here is to literally just record, in one fell swoop, a whole blog post.

I won't be editing it much beyond transcription errors and typos.

Just to treat this as an experiment, a new adventure with creativity.

Austin Kleon talks about the idea of sharing your process whether you're a novice, adept or an expert.

The concept of taking what you're doing, putting your cards on the table and showing people what you do and how you do it. Why you do it.

Then [The learnings that] you have along the way really appeals to me. And partly what I'm doing with this blog is playing about [with] creativity. So I thought why not?

[There's a] cool piece of kit that I can use. [Why not] Share it with people[?]

I've now turned on to merits way [Marriott's Way]  which runs from Norwich to [Aylsham - a very] popular path for runners [and cyclists].

[MUMBLE: And I'll have to keep my wits about me as much as possible.]

Cyclist rolls by in the background

Know it's about as much as possible

[I'm] abundantly aware [that I'm doing that thing where you look slightly barmy while talking to yourself. But...] looks like you're talking to yourself.

...Typically with those instances, the person that has got their borderline invisible airports [airpods] in was [is] talking to somebody else on the other end of their telephone. [Having a] conversation to catch up.

I [am] just talking to myself, but by extension you the reader.

[Which is] really quite phenomenal really when you think about it.

And that's a concept I've been playing around in my head recently.

It's this idea of communications or engagement and how we can reach them [new] audiences whether that's working [on] my website [or o]ther outlets which have [I've] not come across or started yet.

I do [really think that we] have a wealth of information, services and platforms. that are out there . From [on] the worldwide web.

The digital potential is just vast.

I keep toying with the idea of getting back onto social media, engaging through [it more,] using my Twitter platform.

I haven't yet actually shared the news [any of] my articles on this website through social media, partly because of [I] deleted Facebook.

And secondly there's [a} insecurity with sharing a personal project in a space with [where] colleagues or professional networkers might see it.

Which is really rather ludicrous because right [I write] at work, stories read by 10s of 1000s people.

[I know] on how to write, to communicate.

[But] subconsciously those endeavours when you have [add] the personal, [when] you're putting yourself out there...

It's a different kettle of fish.

Overcoming now, [that] hesitation can be quite tricky.

But [it's something] I'd like to do with these playful blog posts kind of thing.

I kind of think [t]hat's me [easing] into the idea of doing that more.

[It's actually quite] often humbling because a [the] website she had the its first few organic web hits beyond just my partner or my mother, my friends and family who I have shared my website with timidly.

[People are] Cooper actually landing on the site completely independently of my own WhatsApp conversations or emails I've sent to people.

Now at the end of this blog post, there'll be an appendix almost where I discuss the process of taking this voice recording or whatever transcription that [may] arise from it.

Then the chocolate I will talk about how I have I turned it into a story on my website [because] the technicalities of a brand new graphs app are still a bit beyond my grasp.

[But] [w]e only learn by doing right[?]

Please understand, [up] until this point I've just been reading with my voice [it has all just been purely recorded by Otter through the medium of my voice]. [But from here on in is] and my commentary on it right.

Overall experience and success

Otter did a fantastic job of getting vast swathes of my spoken words transformed into a written text document.

The transcription needed correction but that was my approach to the recording combined with app limitations rather than just problems with the Otter platform.

I felt embarrassed talking to myself and a few people walked, jogged and cycled past so I mumbled or stumbled with my words.

If I do this again it will be in a quieter environment and I would speak slower and clearer.

Exporting the transcription

It was easy to send the final result as a text file or email and there were options to remove time signatures or 'speakers'.

It was only me talking so the fact it thought I was two people is a bit rogue in a Black Mirror kind of way.

There is an option to 'Export as monologue' that made it one body of text.

You then click 'continue' and for me as an Adroid user, the share tray popped up from the bottom with a selection of suggested contacts then apps below it to share the text as an audio or TXT file with the free version.

Upgrading to the premium subscription opens up DOCX, PDF and SRT files as export options.

Not the new wave of creativity

Otter won't be replacing my writing process any time soon.

I think the app has potential for its intended purpose of recording meetings and the more reflective pursuit of getting down thoughts for later inspection.

But as an actual honest-to-goodness writing mechanism? No.

The editing process required afterwards is too involved. Checking back with the voice note itself and so on is a bit too clunky.

Big takeaway

Using Otter reminded me that writing should be conversational.

As I read back through my ramblings on the walk I cringed that even my spoken word was a bit aloof and inaccessible in terms of its language.

Perhaps I just talk this way or maybe because I knew the words would be featuring in a blog post I spoke how I thought I should communicate rather than naturally.

My learning moment here was to write shorter, sharper sentences.

Keep it clean and chatty. Vary the tone and diction. Just like we do when we strike up conversations. That's much better, see?