ADVICE TO WRITERS: Read Your Work Out Loud!

I recently had the opportunity to read the draft versions of Chapters 2 and 3 aloud to some friends. As a writer, I’ve heard many times how valuable this is. Do I do it? I can’t remember the last time I read any of my work out loud, even to the plants in my office.

Of course I received valuable feedback from Linda and Maurice. They are very well-read and enthusiastic about my work, so they had lots of good questions, comments and reactions that I could make note of. They told me when they needed more detail. They were impressed overall with what they learned about Muskoka and its beginnings. And their best reactions were to paragraphs that I had re-written into modern language from 19th century quotes. That was great feedback. As much as I love 19th century lingo, I had removed those quotes from an earlier draft, thanks to advice from Lynn, Jen and Mr. Busy. (Thanks, guys, you were right as usual!)

But the real value of the read-aloud exercise was what I heard when I listened to myself read. I heard:

• A story that was not as conversational as I want it to be. Parts were decidedly flat to my ear, lacking the energy and lilt of a story.
• Too many textbook and/or formal and/or big words that were hard to say.
• Too many sentences that I couldn’t finish in one breath.

Also, I found I had to interrupt myself sometimes to provide some context or background. Or to add some colour commentary. Of course, all these should be in the text. Some were, I hasten to tell you. But not all of them, and not all were exactly where they needed to be.

At first I was very upset and disappointed with myself, because of the gap between what I thought I wrote and what I heard when I read the words out loud. Then I realized what a great gift this experience was – especially since it happened so early in the process of writing. I can now edit these two chapters and punch up the style, translate words from formal to evocative and make the sentences short and meaty. And then carry that style of voice as I write the next chapters.

Maybe I shouldn’t be admitting all this in public… but I did promise to be honest about the process, so there you go. I’ll admit this in public too: I’m now going to read every page out loud. Please smile when you hear the sounds coming from my office and know that I’m writing a better book!