Read It Aloud

I read all of my writing aloud. It is an excellent practice that I cannot recommend highly enough. It gives me a chance to get into the work and see it from a different angle. It also gives me a deeper appreciation for the richness and beauty of language. When I listen to the way certain words fit together, and know that I made that happen, then I am grateful for being a writer.

Why should you read all of your work out loud? I have compiled a list of reasons why you might want to.

1. It ensures that your readers will “hear” your writing the way you intend for them to. Most people sub-vocalize as they read. That means that even when people do not read your work out loud, it is as if they can still hear it being read. This happens naturally, and is what gives language its musicality, even when read silently.
2. It helps you catch mistakes. The quickest way that I find mistakes within my writing is to read it out loud. I can catch typos, improper punctuation, incorrect words, etc., almost instantly when I read a work out loud. This often means that I have to read the work out loud several times––once to find the simple mistakes, another few times to listen for the nuances.
3. It helps you pay attention to the nuances within the language. This is the poetic part of writing, and it can apply to prose just as easily as it does to poetry. A writer’s style is often contained within word choice or simple use of techniques like alliteration. A writer that takes time to understand and develop the details within a work will produce a better piece of writing.
4. It helps you establish your “voice.” It is important to establish a consistent voice within a work. If you read your work aloud, then you can more easily determine where the voice differs, then find a way to bring the work back to your regular voice.
5. It prepares you for readings. Reading your work out loud—to yourself or someone else—prepares you for public readings of your work. If you are a serious writer, then there is a good chance that you will do public readings. It always helps to know how you want to read it out loud before the actual event.

Reading your work out loud is good for a work-in-progress, or for final editing. If you feel like it, grab a buddy and read to each other. Sometimes the simple act of having someone else read your work to you can give you a completely new perspective. Listen for the parts that sound constrained. Did you intend for it to be that way? If not, fix it. What parts read quicker than you would like? How can you slow it down to give it more impact? Work with punctuation and line spacing. There are lots of methods that you can use to get your desired effect.

Most importantly, read your work aloud. You will be glad that you did, and so will your readers!