When to Speak, When to Type: A Routing Guide for Everyday Writing

I dictate about 60% of my writing. Here's how I decide what to dictate and what to type.

I'm not a "dictate everything" person. Some writing benefits from dictation. Some doesn't. The key is routing the right task to the right input method.

Here's the framework I use.

When to dictate

First drafts. Dictation is fastest for getting ideas down. The first draft of anything , emails, docs, notes, messages , should be dictated.

Repetitive structures. If you write the same kind of thing repeatedly (meeting notes, status updates, support replies), dictate it. Use snippets for the structure, dictate the content.

Long-form writing. Anything over 500 words is faster to dictate. The speed advantage compounds over length.

Casual communication. Emails to close collaborators, Slack messages, team updates. Dictation produces natural, conversational output.

Thinking out loud. When you're not sure what you want to say, dictate stream-of-consciousness and extract the key points.

When to type

Precision work. Code comments, commit messages, technical specs , anything where exact wording matters. Type it.

Short messages. A two-line Slack message is faster to type than to dictate. The overhead of dictation isn't worth it.

Exact terminology. If you're using specific technical terms that the dictionary might not know, type them. Don't risk a recognition error.

Formal documents. Legal contracts, official reports, anything that needs careful word choice. Type it, then polish with the rewrite palette.

Editing. When you're revising existing text, typing is more precise. Dictation is for creation, typing is for refinement.

The 500-word rule

Here's a practical heuristic: if it's over 500 words, dictate. If it's under, type.

The speed advantage of dictation (150 wpm vs 70 wpm typing) compounds over length. For short text, the overhead of dictation (setup, permissions, review) eats the savings.

I tested this. A 200-word email: typing was faster. A 1000-word doc: dictation was 3x faster. The crossover point for me is around 500 words.

The hybrid workflow

Here's what I actually do:

1. Dictate the first draft (30 seconds for a 500-word email)
2. Review and edit (2 minutes of reading and tweaking)
3. Polish with rewrite palette (30 seconds of applying actions)
4. Send

Total: 3 minutes for a polished email. Before Echo Flow, this took 8-10 minutes of typing and editing.

The key insight: dictation is for creation, typing is for refinement. Use both.

The bottom line

Dictate first drafts, long-form content, and casual communication. Type precision work, short messages, and formal documents.

The 500-word rule is a good heuristic. Above it, dictate. Below it, type. And use the rewrite palette to bridge the gap.

Try Echo Flow free for 14 days · Why dictation beats typing · How to dictate first drafts

Sources

• Writer's own experience: routing tasks between dictation and typing.
• Speaking vs typing speed research: ~150 wpm speaking vs ~70 wpm typing.
• Echo Flow workflow: dictate first draft, polish with rewrite palette.