Rambler in the Wild: A Diary Study of LLM-Assisted Writing With Speech

TL;DR

This study explores how twelve writers use Rambler, an LLM-assisted speech-to-text tool, over ten days, revealing strategies and psychological benefits that inform future design of speech-based writing aids.

Contribution

It provides empirical insights into real-world use, strategies, and psychological effects of LLM-assisted speech writing, a relatively underexplored area.

Findings

Participants used Rambler to expand outlines and organize thoughts.

Writing with speech offered psychological and productivity benefits.

The study suggests future design directions for speech-based AI writing tools.

Abstract

Speech-to-text technologies have been shown to improve text input efficiency and potentially lower the barriers to writing. Recent LLM-assisted dictation tools aim to support writing with speech by bridging the gaps between speaking and traditional writing. This case study reports on the real-world writing experiences of twelve academic or creative writers using one such tool, Rambler, to write various pieces such as blog posts, diaries, screenplays, notes, or fictional stories, etc. Through a ten-day diary study, we identified the participants' in-context writing strategies using Rambler, such as how they expanded from an outline or organized their loose thoughts for different writing goals. The interviews uncovered the psychological and productivity affordances of writing with speech, pointing to future directions of designing for this writing modality and the utilization of AI support.