Reach Out and Touch a Working Captioner



Broaden your captioning horizons by reaching out and touching a working captioner

I started my transition to captioning at the beginning of 2013. I didn't get serious about it until July though. Why did it take me so long to really get into it? I had no direction because I wasn't sure exactly how to become a captioner. I finally got serious because I found a working captioner that I could connect with.

Together you and your mentor can achieve your goal

I had so many questions. What is a typical day like? How hard was it for you to switch? How do you write so fast when the speaker doesn't even breathe? Vicki answered every question I had, and even those I hadn't thought of yet.

And thus began our weekly email exchange. I always had questions, and I would tell her about my progress (or lack of it) and my frustrations about my not being where I want to be. I don't have quite so many questions now, so our emails have gotten less frequent. I still keep her updated in my progress, and she's always there if I need some encouragement.


A mentor can be great for captioning, but you shouldn't restrict yourself to just one. Everyone has different experiences and different advice to give.

In the January 2014 JCR, there was an article by Dee Boenau in which she talked about her career and about transitioning to captioning.

In case you haven't heard of her, Dee is a multi-tasking speed demon! She co-owns Americaption, which is a company based down in Tampa. She's went up against Mark Kislingbury and gave him a run for his money. She's been featured on multiple TV shows. She's been the NCRA champ, and even came in second in the world in Intersteno. She has now officially become my captioning idol. I want to write as fast and as accurate as she does one day.

You can get to know her better in this YouTube video where she talks about how she got started in captioning:

In her JCR article she wrote about her personality and her fears before she started captioning, various contests, etc. In particular, her fear about dropping and not getting every word really spoke to me because I feel the same way! A lot!

Her article spoke to me so much, I decided to reach out to her and shoot her an email. I wasn't really expecting an answer, but two days later I received a really nice reply from her. She gave me a few pointers during my transition period and a lot of encouragement. Her email definitely lifted my spirits and brought a smile to my face.

Training for captioning is a lot like going to court reporting school. You sit for hours in speed classes getting next to nothing and your notes stink. After it's been that way for a while and you don't feel you're progressing, it gets really depressing. An encouraging word from an instructor or fellow student goes a long way and tides you over until you hit your speed goal. That's what Dee's email was to me.

So if you're training to become a captioner, I encourage you to find a working captioner to communicate with. And don't just stop at one! Talk to as many as you can who will encourage you and give you tips.

After all, our goal is to go from wearing high heels and pantyhose to muumuus and fuzzy slippers!