ABSTRACT

Sometimes people forget about the human involved in translating an audio recording into a written text. This chapter examines how transcription affects the transcriptionist both emotionally and physically. When dealing with especially harrowing materials, the transcriptionist may experience secondary trauma or more ordinary feelings of sadness, depression or helplessness. This chapter discusses how the project manager can ease this burden for the transcriptionist by offering chances to debrief. It also talks about how the transcriptionist can help herself through good self-care practices and developing a better work-life balance. The chapter explores the relationship between the transcriber and the narrator, and between the transcriber and the rest of the project team.