Transcribing app helps vision-impaired author write book

After author Leslie’s vision started to deteriorate around five years ago, he was determined to find a way to continue putting his tales down on paper.  

The Bolton Clarke client and former newspaper editor started dabbling in fictional stories during the early years of his retirement and his love for storytelling has kept him busy ever since.  

“When I sat down to write in the early days, when I could sit down at the computer and see what I was doing, it came so easily and I ended up working longer hours in a day than I did when I was in a full-tim job,” Les said.

“I love working with words – some authors plot everything out when they write but I go by the seat of the pants when I put a story together and they call that sort of writer a ‘pantser’.

“My latest novel is more of an achievement I think because I did it when I couldn’t see the keys on the computer or the screen even if it was in large-to-maximum.”

Whispers in Empty Rooms is a book based on many of the experiences Les went through while losing his vision later in life and the impact it has not just on the person but on their family – but with a murder mystery twist.

“The book is 78,000 words and I haven’t seen a single one of them.

“When I got to the stage of not being able to see the keys or anything I thought I can’t do a book, I have to give up writing.

“But of course I kept getting ideas and it wouldn’t let me go away from it so I went back and thought I’d try this talking into a voice recorder and transcribing it into my laptop – it’s called Dragon software.”

With the assistance of the Bolton Clarke Home & Community Support team, Les was able to upgrade his laptop and set up the Dragon software to start his book. Once transcribed, Leslie would sit down with his wife Helen or his son Ben, who is also an author, who would then read the transcription out for Leslie to make his edits verbally.

“At 82, I’ve left it a bit late to become a millionare so I just want to have people reading my book and show the potential of what people can achieve.

“You can still attempt things with limited vision, there is so much support for people with vision impairments.

“I’m just not very good at sitting and doing nothing and while it might appear that I’m doing nothing sometimes, I’m always thinking up something new.

“I think there is a saying something like don’t die with the music in you, so it would be a pity for me if I think up new storylines to leave them lying in the dust!”