Sub: Reedsy Studio, Using NVDA As Dictator

[David Russell]

Hello NVDA Google Group,

In my thirty plus years of using screen reading software (Jaws and NVDA) the following issue is new to me.

Reedsy Studio offers authors a free program up to a point where manuscripts for books may be created by a given author and registered member of Reedsy.com.

One may not prepare the manuscript in MS Word, then copy and paste the contents into Reedsy Studio. It has to be fully generated in this program!

Is there a way to use NVDA or Narrator as a transcriber and retype the document in another program?

Right now, I am one-third through this creation, and have the manuscript as a word docx on a pen drive. 

I no longer own a cassette recorder or digital recorder. These would have served well to remedy my issue. Thanks in advance.

--

David C. Russell, Author
david.so...@gmail.com
 

[Gene Asner]

Are you asking how to record the screen-reader speaking and then use
that speech to generate a written document?

Gene

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[David Russell]

Hello, to answer Gene's question, no.

I am asking, can NVDA be used like a transcription device and read back text from a Word document, which I can simultaneously type in the program, Reedsy Studio?

This has its own set of ways to record people adhering to the rules of the contest itself.

Copying and pasting not allowed.

I have chosen not to pursue this, but still interested to know if this could be done?

Thank you!

David

[Sean Randall]

Hi David

 

There’s no native support within NVDA to access the contents of an open document whilst you’re in another window. Obviously if you were sighted, you could simply split your screen or have a duel monitor setup.

 

It’d be a relatively straightforward project to create an addon that virtualised a document and let you navigate it with bespoke NVDA-based keyboard shortcuts, but you’d still end up having to press buttons to read “through” it whilst in your other application.

 

Have you considered a second computer, perhaps with a foot pedal to move through the source document? You could perhaps wangle it with a running copy of NVDA logged on under a second user account on your machine and a remote connection between the two, but it all starts to sound a bit complicated.

 

Sean.

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[Gene Asner]

or you could use a program like Virtual Recorder to record the
screen-reader speaking the document, start it playing, and type what it
plays.

Gene

On 2/5/2026 9:01 AM, Sean Randall wrote:
> Hi David
>
> There’s no native support within NVDA to access the contents of an open
> document whilst you’re in another window. Obviously if you were sighted,
> you could simply split your screen or have a duel monitor setup.
>
> It’d be a relatively straightforward project to create an addon that
> virtualised a document and let you navigate it with bespoke NVDA-based
> keyboard shortcuts, but you’d still end up having to press buttons to
> read “through” it whilst in your other application.
>
> Have you considered a second computer, perhaps with a foot pedal to move
> through the source document? You could perhaps wangle it with a running
> copy of NVDA logged on under a second user account on your machine and a
> remote connection between the two, but it all starts to sound a bit
> complicated.
>
> Sean.
>

> *From:*nvda-...@nvaccess.org <nvda-...@nvaccess.org> *On Behalf Of
> *David Russell
> *Sent:* Thursday, 05 February 2026 14:23
> *To:* NVDA Screen Reader Discussion <nvda-...@nvaccess.org>
> *Cc:* Gene Asner <gsa...@gmail.com>
> *Subject:* Re: [NVDA] Sub: Reedsy Studio, Using NVDA As Dictator

> <mailto:david.so...@gmail.com <mailto:david.so...@gmail.com>>

> >
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> <https://github.com/nvaccess/nvda/blob/master/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md>
> > <https://github.com/nvaccess/nvda/blob/master/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
> <https://github.com/nvaccess/nvda/blob/master/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md>>
> >
> > You can contact the group owners and moderators via

> > nvda-user...@nvaccess.org <mailto:nvda-user...@nvaccess.org>.

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[Sean Randall]

Well you might as well just use the read aloud function in Word than keep a separate recording.

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[John O'Regan]

Hi David,

Are you sure you can't import your Word document into Reedsy Studio?
On this web page:

https://reedsy.com/faq/studio-app/about-reedsy-studio/find-studio-app

it says:

With Reedsy Studio, you can either start a new project from scratch or
import an existing document. To start, click on Books at the top of
the page. Now, click on Open your bookshelf. Then either create a new
book from scratch or import a document. Note: The files uploaded must
be either in .docx or .odt format and no larger than 50 MB. After
creating your book, hover over it and click on the Write button. Add
parts and chapters or edit as needed, and proceed to export your
beautifully formatted book once you’re done.

Maybe your Word document is over the 50Mb limit? And if importing
Word documents is a premium feature, you can always sign up for the
free 30-day trial. No credit card details necessary.

HTH! :)

John

[David Russell]

Thanks for your reply. I am going to move on, finish the story in Word, and after editing, send it out to other contests. Getting a second computer as Sean suggested is a nice idea but impractical. Thanks!

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--

David C. Russell, Author
david.so...@gmail.com

 Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries.

Michener, James A.

James A. Michener

[David Russell]

Hi Sean,

Thanks for contributing to my post concerning using NVDA as a transcription device. If I had the room, might consider a second computer. However, instances like this for me have been rare indeed.

Usually if MS Word is shall we say set aside, GoogleDocs is or had been a second alternative by groups running a writing contest. Thanks!

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David C. Russell, Author
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[David Russell]

Hello John,

According to email correspondence I had with someone from Reedsy, copying and pasting is not allowed for this particular contest. It is somehow set up to record how many words one transcribes at a session, ideal is 500 words per each day of Feb.

The Reedsy Studio also offers authors an option to write books there, and that may well be what you shared with me.

So, yes, for book creation by an author, yes, copy and paste.

For this type of event or exercise, 500 words daily, no. The work has to be manually added.

I wish it were your way!

David

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