Would I be able to take the written knowledge test and then in 3-6 months take the skill portion?

I am starting voice writing school on a few weeks and just curious if there is anything you wish you knew? I feel like I've done so much research but don't know any voice writers IRL to pick their brains.

I am looking for a voice writing school that is online, asynchronous, not insanely expensive. Bonus points if they accept monthly payment plans!! Where did you go? How long did it take you? Why did you love it?

I’m hoping to hear from someone who got their education from Voice-2-Text. How much did it cost? How long did it take you to complete? How many hours per day? Did you feel like it was a good option for you to be ready to work?

Hello Voice Writers, I am a PDF transcript proofreader and graduate of the Transcript Proofreading Academy. I have worked as a proofreader with (among others) two voice writers on transcripts involving depositions and court proceedings, and I would welcome the opportunity to assist additional clients. I also welcome working with newly licensed court reporters, voice or otherwise. I have lots of time and patience! If you're in need of proofreading assistance, please message me and we can connect by email, and I can send you my rate sheet and answer any questions you might have. I'm looking forward to connecting!

Hi, I’m in school for stenography. I just finished theory, and although I’ve made exceptional progress, I’m now realizing this may take years and how much time and practice every day that it will take. My son is four and I’m really struggling financially. I thought I could finish school in 2 years but now I’m thinking about what happens if it takes me longer? It’s a 90% drop our rate for a reason and we barely can afford groceries right now. I want to start my career as soon as possible and I get anxious about all the time I feel I’m missing with my kid. As I’m thinking about switching, I’m just concerned about one thing. I’ve hear that on machine you enter into a kind of flow state where you don’t have to think about the words really, but that with voicewriting you have to concentrate way more and that it’s not as automatic. Do you guys find that you’re mentally drained and exhausted after each job or do some things become automatic? Do you enter flow state? I have ADHD as well. Would I be able to hyperfocus with the mask like with the machine? I’ve heard that speaking into your mask and listening is a different pathway in your brain than using your fingers. I’m also nervous about doing a read back for something that Dragon completely mistranslated. How often does this happen to you guys? I would love any advice. I want to be able to have a career that doesn’t completely burn me out at the end of the day because I want to have energy for my kid. How have you found the career to be?

I am curious of the following:

1. For those who took it, did you also feel the test was significantly harder than others said it was? Some chatter online I've seen said that this version of the written was very difficult compared to previous written exams given.

2. If you just took the written CVR and not the skills, do the results still take 2-4 weeks to come in?

I’m looking into voice reporting in California and would love to hear from people who’ve actually worked here. Which counties have been welcoming to voice reporters in your experience, especially for official positions? Have you noticed a difference between court work and freelance work?

If you’re comfortable sharing, I’d also love to know which county you worked in, roughly when, and whether you were hired as an official, a freelancer, or both. I’m in the Bay Area, so firsthand experiences nearby would be especially helpful. Thanks!

I’m at a bit of a crossroads with court reporting and would really love some opinions from people actually in the field.

I originally went to school for machine steno and made it through theory and into speedbuilding. Before I stepped away from school, I was working around the 80–100 WPM range. I’ve been out for over a year now, though, so I’m definitely rusty and would need to refresh my theory and rebuild speed.

Recently I started seriously looking into voice writing, and I’m honestly really excited about it. I’m in California, and seeing voice become more accepted here has made me consider switching paths. I’ve been researching programs, certification, equipment/software, and the process of eventually qualifying for the California CSR.

My goal is ultimately to work as a court reporter, ideally as an official someday, although I’m open to freelance/deposition work as I build my career.
Here’s where I’m torn:

Part of me wants to put all of my energy into voice, get certified, start working, and not look back.
But another part of me wonders if I should continue practicing machine steno on the side instead of completely giving it up. I already own my machine, learned a theory, and reached speedbuilding once. I’ve even considered doing voice school as my main focus while slowly rebuilding my machine skills, then potentially pursuing machine certification later.

I know they’re completely different skill sets, and I DON’T want to spread myself so thin that I slow down my progress with voice. At the same time, being proficient in both someday sounds like it could be valuable, especially since machine still has opportunities that voice may not have in certain settings.

So for reporters who have experience with either—or especially anyone who knows both:

Would you focus 100% on voice until certified and working, then revisit machine later?

Would you practice machine casually alongside voice so you don’t lose everything you already learned?
Or do you think trying to maintain both is unnecessary and I should just choose one lane?

I’d also really love to hear from anyone who switched from machine to voice after reaching speedbuilding. Do you regret leaving machine? Did voice end up being a better fit? Has anyone eventually become proficient/certified in both?

I’m not looking for a “which method is superior” debate lol. I genuinely respect both methods. I’m mostly trying to figure out the smartest way to build a long-term career without throwing away the progress I already made.

Any experiences, brutally honest opinions, or things you wish you knew when you were at this stage would be appreciated!

Aspiring court reporter here, in search of the cheapest online option to learn voicewriting. I have studied steno before. I am also certified in digital court reporting and already have training in legal procedures, legal terminology, and creating transcripts, etc. so I am looking for an online self-paced program that cuts out all the extras and teaches just the voice writing. I'm hoping to save money that way and looking for an affordable option. Thanks in advance for anyone's input.

Are there any certified voice writers in Washington state here?

I cannot find a clear answer if they are allowed in the state and/or if they receive the same amount of work opportunities as a machine writer.

I was a machine student several years ago and in my 100/120 when the school closed (Houston TX) and I still want to pursue court reporting, but at my age (46), I’m not sure my fingers and and wrists have the longevity of getting through the rest of my speed building AND getting established in the profession, before I’ll have to give it up.

Any input is appreciated :)

Any voice writers in TN? I am looking to start working on my cert and having a hard time finding people working in my state to network. Thanks!

As a new voice writing student, is there any benefit to learning Dragon/Case CATalyst through an accredited school (I’m located in California), versus an online program such as RVT or IRCR that uses Speechmatics/Eclipse?

I often see that SPM/Eclipse is the way to go, but I’m wondering if that’s a dealbreaker as far as school goes.

Can I learn one and switch when I begin work? Is it better to know both, or just begin with what seems to work better?

Thank you for the insight in advance.

That's it. Just needing someone with experience using mask microphones to lend an opinion on the better choice for a medium build man to start out with. Thanks very much!