Voice to Text for Journalists
Deadlines wait for no one, and your typing speed shouldn't be the bottleneck. Blurt lets you capture interview notes, draft articles, and fire off follow-up emails by speaking naturally. Hold a button, say what you need, release. Text appears wherever your cursor is — in Google Docs, your CMS, email, Twitter, anywhere. No transcription delays. No awkward pauses while you type. Just talk and write.
The Typing Problem
Writing articles under crushing deadlines
The story is breaking and your editor needs copy in 45 minutes. You know exactly what to write — you could explain the whole piece out loud right now — but your fingers can only type so fast. You're racing the clock, watching words appear one keystroke at a time while the deadline creeps closer. The story in your head is finished; your hands just can't keep up.
Capturing interview notes while staying present
Your source just said something important, but you're still typing the last quote. You look down at your laptop, fingers scrambling to catch up, and miss their facial expression. The follow-up question you should ask slips away. By the time you look up, the moment is gone. Your notes are incomplete because you couldn't listen and type at the same time.
Following up with sources before they go cold
You have six sources to email before end of day. Each needs a personalized message referencing your conversation. Typing them out takes 30 minutes you don't have. So you prioritize the top two and tell yourself you'll get to the others tomorrow. Tomorrow becomes next week. The sources go cold. Stories die because follow-ups feel like a chore.
Posting to social media while the story is fresh
You just got a scoop and need to tweet the key details before anyone else. But composing the perfect 280-character summary while your phone keyboard autocorrects 'indictment' to 'indicative' is maddening. By the time your thread is posted, a competitor has already broken the news. Your typing speed cost you the exclusive.
Writing notes after interviews before details fade
The interview ended ten minutes ago and already the details are blurring. What exactly did they say about the timeline? Was it March or April? You need to write everything down while it's fresh, but typing comprehensive notes takes longer than the interview itself. You capture the highlights and hope you'll remember the rest. You won't.
How It Works
Blurt works in every app journalists use — Google Docs, WordPress, email clients, Twitter, Slack, your CMS. Anywhere you can put a cursor.
Hold your hotkey
Press your chosen shortcut. A small indicator shows Blurt is listening.
Speak naturally
Say your article draft, interview notes, or email reply. Blurt handles punctuation.
Release and done
Text appears at your cursor. No copying, no pasting, no extra steps.
Real Scenarios
Drafting breaking news articles against deadline
The press conference just ended and you have 30 minutes to file. Instead of typing, open your doc, hold the button, and talk through your lede: 'City officials announced today that the downtown development project will be delayed by 18 months due to funding shortfalls, a setback that threatens hundreds of construction jobs.' First draft done in minutes, not an hour. Edit and file.
Taking interview notes without breaking eye contact
You're sitting across from a nervous whistleblower. They need to feel heard, not watched. Glance at your laptop, hold the hotkey, and quietly speak key details: 'Source says documents were altered in March, before the audit.' Your eyes stay on them. They keep talking. You capture everything without the awkward typing pauses that kill momentum.
Sending source follow-up emails in bulk
Six sources need follow-up emails tonight. Hold button, speak: 'Hi Sarah, thanks for speaking with me today. Quick follow-up on the budget figures you mentioned — can you send me the Q3 report by Friday? Happy to keep your name out of it if needed.' Six personalized emails sent in under ten minutes. Sources stay warm. Stories stay alive.
Composing Twitter threads while news is breaking
You're at the courthouse and the verdict just dropped. Hold your hotkey, speak the key details: 'BREAKING: Jury finds defendant guilty on all three counts of fraud. Sentencing scheduled for March. Defense says they will appeal.' Tweet posted in 15 seconds flat. While competitors are still typing, you've already moved on to the thread.
Writing post-interview notes before memory fades
The source just left. Hold button, brain dump everything: 'Key points: confirmed the merger talks started in January, CEO was not initially supportive, three board members opposed. Follow up on the SEC filing timeline. Check if the leaked memo matches what they described.' Complete notes captured in 90 seconds while details are fresh. Nothing lost.
Responding to editors in Slack without context switching
You're mid-paragraph when your editor pings asking for a status update. Instead of losing your train of thought to type a reply, hold button: 'Draft is about 60 percent done, waiting on one more source callback, should file by 4pm.' Reply sent in 5 seconds. Back to writing without losing your place in the story.
Dictating photo captions and metadata on location
You're at the scene with 30 photos to caption before deadline. Hold button, describe each one: 'Mayor Johnson speaking at podium, city hall steps, Tuesday afternoon, protesters visible in background left.' Captions done in minutes instead of the usual tedious typing session. File complete packages faster than anyone else on the beat.
Why journalists choose Blurt over built-in dictation
| Blurt | macOS Dictation | |
|---|---|---|
| Activation | Single hotkey, instant start | Click microphone icon or double-tap Fn key |
| Speed | Text appears in under 500ms | 2-3 second delay before transcription |
| Names and places | Handles proper nouns and locations well | Frequently mangles unfamiliar names |
| Reliability | Consistent accuracy across sessions | Often fails silently or stops listening |
| Background noise | Works in noisy press rooms and field locations | Struggles with ambient noise |
Frequently Asked Questions
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