Voice Dictation for Grant Writers

Write compelling proposals, faster

Notion

Example dictation

so the thing is writing is hard because you never know where to start um I think the best approach is to just get your ideas down first and worry about editing later new paragraph that's what this article is about actually this post is about overcoming the blank page

Read this example aloud, or say something of your own.

Ottex outputs

Writing is hard because you never know where to start. I think the best approach is to just get your ideas down first and worry about editing later. That's what this post is about—overcoming the blank page.
Profile instructions

Download for macOS

How it works

Your voice. Right where you work.

  1. Hold Fn

    Place your cursor in any app, then hold the Fn key.

  2. Speak naturally

    Say what you want to write. Ottex follows your saved writing rules.

  3. Release. It’s written.

    Your text appears right where your cursor is.

Works with your apps

Ottex works system-wide on macOS. Dictate directly into these apps and more.

And any other app that accepts text input. See all supported apps

Why Ottex works for grant writers

Concrete benefits with real-world impact

3x Faster Than Typing

Speak 150+ words per minute vs 40 wpm typing. Finish tasks in a third of the time.

A woman speaks naturally while working on her laptop.

Voice Corrections

Say 'scratch that' to delete mistakes, 'actually' to rephrase. Fix errors without stopping your flow or touching the keyboard.

Thursday at six is crossed out and replaced with Friday at ten.

Inline AI Commands

Transform text as you speak: 'Ottex start fix grammar Ottex end'. Edit, improve, translate—all by voice.

Hands transform paper into a new form.

Accurate Transcription

Cloud AI models transcribe your voice with 99% accuracy. Filler words like 'um' and 'like' are automatically cleaned up.

A microphone turns a voice wave into tidy written lines.

Better Context, Better Results

Speaking naturally gives AI agents more context than typing. Describe your intent, explain edge cases, mention file names—your voice carries nuance that typing shortcuts.

Loose notes become a richer organized plan.

Works with AI Chatbots

Dictate prompts to ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity—anywhere you type. Better prompts, better answers.

A spoken prompt becomes a conversation on a laptop.

Context Awareness

Optionally let AI see your screen for smarter responses. Reply to emails with full context, answer messages knowing the conversation history.

A magnifying glass connects an email conversation to its reply.

Smart Snippets

Define custom text replacements and shortcuts. Say 'work signature' to expand your full email signature, or 'my address' for your contact info.

A bookmark opens into reusable notes.

Custom Dictionary

Add names, technical terms, and jargon. Ottex transcribes them accurately every time.

A personal card file organizes names and specialist vocabulary.

Precision Typing

Say 'new paragraph', 'open quote', 'em dash', 'ellipsis'. Full formatting control by voice.

Punctuation blocks organize a clearly formatted page.

Global Shortcuts

Start recording with Option+D, use Push-to-Talk, or cancel with Esc. All shortcuts are fully configurable.

Fingers press Option and D to start voice input.

Works in Any App

System-wide on macOS—Ottex works wherever you can type. No app-specific integrations needed.

One microphone connects several different application windows.

Filler Word Removal

Automatically removes filler words like 'um', 'uh', 'like', 'so' from your transcription. Get clean, professional text without verbal hesitations.

Filler-word scraps are brushed away from a clean page.

What you can do

Write First Drafts

Defeat writer's block by speaking your first draft. Don't edit as you go—just talk through your ideas and refine them later.

Notion

Example dictation

so the thing is writing is hard because you never know where to start um I think the best approach is to just get your ideas down first and worry about editing later new paragraph that's what this article is about actually this post is about overcoming the blank page

Read this example aloud, or say something of your own.

Ottex outputs

Writing is hard because you never know where to start. I think the best approach is to just get your ideas down first and worry about editing later. That's what this post is about—overcoming the blank page.
Profile instructions

Prompt ChatGPT & Claude

Dictate prompts to ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, or any AI chatbot. Speaking naturally lets you give more context—better context means better results.

ChatGPT

Example dictation

can you help me understand um why the sky is blue like I know it has something to do with light but I'm kinda confused about why it's not violet since violet has an even shorter wavelength question mark explain it simply

Read this example aloud, or say something of your own.

Ottex outputs

Can you help me understand why the sky is blue? I know it has something to do with light but I'm confused about why it's not violet since violet has an even shorter wavelength. Explain it simply.
Profile instructions

Respond to Emails

Dictate email responses with the right tone. Use context awareness to see the full thread, then speak your reply naturally.

Gmail

Example dictation

hi Jennifer thanks for reaching out um I'd be happy to schedule a call next week here's my calendar link best regards work signature

Read this example aloud, or say something of your own.

Ottex outputs

Hi Jennifer, Thank you for reaching out. I'd be happy to schedule a call next week. Here's my calendar: https://cal.com/sarah/30min Best regards, Sarah Chen Marketing Director, Finteq
Profile instructions

Write Research Notes

Dictate research notes, literature summaries, or analysis. Capture your thinking process without losing momentum to typing.

Notion

Example dictation

H1 Navigation study H2 Main finding Participants found the new navigation easy to use but struggled to find export. Quote I expected export to be next to share end quote. H2 Next step Test placing export next to share in the next prototype.

Read this example aloud, or say something of your own.

Ottex outputs

# Navigation study ## Main finding Participants found the new navigation easy to use but struggled to find export. > I expected export to be next to share. ## Next step Test placing export next to share in the next prototype.
Profile instructions

Capture Ideas Quickly

Speak ideas the moment they hit you. Use Ottex anywhere to capture thoughts, then refine them later.

Text Editor

Example dictation

oh okay so what if we flip the onboarding completely um instead of asking users to set up their workspace first we let them record something immediately like within 10 seconds of signing up they're already talking and seeing the magic actually no not 10 seconds make it the very first screen and then we save that as their first note so they have an aha moment before they even configure anything

Read this example aloud, or say something of your own.

Ottex outputs

What if we flip the onboarding completely? Instead of asking users to set up their workspace first, we let them record something immediately. Within the very first screen of signing up, they're already talking and seeing the magic. Then we save that as their first note—so they have an aha moment before they even configure anything.
Profile instructions

Write Status Updates

Dictate standup updates, weekly reports, or project status. Speak what happened and what's next—done.

Slack

Example dictation

hey team so quick update um finally got the payment integration working took longer than expected because of some weird edge cases with refunds new paragraph today I'm gonna tackle the email notifications and hopefully wrap that up by end of day new paragraph no blockers just need to stay focused

Read this example aloud, or say something of your own.

Ottex outputs

Hey team, quick update—finally got the payment integration working. Took longer than expected because of some weird edge cases with refunds. Today I'm gonna tackle the email notifications and hopefully wrap that up by end of day. No blockers, just need to stay focused.
Profile instructions

Frequently asked questions

Can I dictate directly into Google Docs or Word?

Yes. Ottex works anywhere you can type—Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Submittable, Foundant, or any grant portal. Press Option+D and start speaking your proposal narrative.

How do I format proposals while dictating?

Say 'heading two', 'bullet point', 'new paragraph'. Precision typing gives you full formatting control by voice. You can also use AI commands to polish sections: 'Ottex start, make this more compelling, Ottex end'.

Can Ottex help me research funders?

Yes. Dictate detailed prompts to ChatGPT or Claude about funder priorities, giving guidelines, and past grantees. Speaking lets you provide more context—better prompts mean better research results.

Is my grant content secure?

Yes. Ottex offers 100% local processing with Whisper models—your audio never leaves your Mac. Or use BYOK (bring your own key) for cloud models. Either way, Ottex never stores your data.

Can I use Ottex for budget narratives?

Absolutely. Dictate budget justifications naturally—explain why each line item matters, how costs were calculated, and how funding will be used. AI commands can help formalize the language afterward.

How does it help with tight deadlines?

Speaking is approximately 3-4x faster than typing. When you have multiple proposals due, dictation lets you get first drafts down quickly. You spend less time writing, more time refining.

Write proposals that win

Download free. Use local models at no cost, or cloud models for ~$1-3/mo.

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