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Writing can be such a quiet activity. Other than the click of the keys or the scratch of the pen on paper, we’re often silent, allowing our thoughts to flow out onto the page. But I have a pro-tip for you today, one that I use quite often myself: read your novel out loud.
Reading out loud forces you to slow down.
If you’ve been reading your writing silently for months, if not years, then it might be time to view it differently. If we’re reading in our heads, it’s too easy to skip, skim, or change wording without realizing it. Our brains automatically fill things in, and so you might not catch the missing “the” after thirty read-throughs. If, on the thirty-first read-through, you read it aloud, you’re far more likely to slow down and read every single word. The act of slowing down means we see things so differently from all those fast-paced read-throughs that you’ve done before.
Reading out loud helps you find unnatural dialogue.
It might seem obvious, but the most natural way to double-check your dialogue is to speak it out loud. Our ears better assess whether dialogue sounds natural, like an actual person is saying it, than our brains do. If it feels awkward reading it aloud, chances are that your character wouldn’t have said that way—unless awkward is what you’re going for.
Reading out loud clearly shows you awkward wording.
In a similar vein, reading your work aloud is very helpful when it comes to finding awkward or stilted writing. If you find yourself stumbling over your words or having to go back and reread a sentence, you might need to make some adjustments. If you find that you struggle to follow along with a particular sentence, perhaps you need to break it down into smaller sentences, ones that are easier for your reader to digest.
Reading out loud puts you in the reader’s seat.
While you’re writing and editing, you’re likely hanging out in the writer’s seat, not the reader’s seat. While this is absolutely crucial at the beginning of your project, by the time you’re on your second or third draft, you should be considering the reader’s perspective, perhaps more than the author’s perspective. So in order to switch gears and put on your reader’s hat, try reading aloud. Put yourself in your reader’s seat and examine your story just as they would.
Reading out loud keepS your attention, even when your focus is elsewhere.
This is a huge reason I started reading aloud in the first place. As someone who reads for a living (my dream job), I can tell you that I’m just not into it every single day. Perhaps the story just isn’t grabbing me, or I didn’t get enough sleep the night before, or the dogs are driving me nuts, but some days, I just can’t focus. And when I still have to get my work done, reading aloud really helps me stay focused on the story in front of me. And for writers, this can be just the same. If you know you want to write or edit but it’s feeling too difficult to keep your mind on the story, try reading it aloud instead. You just might find it easier to get your work done.
BONUS! Reading out loud helps you see where commas should be added—or removed.
I won’t lie: this is my favorite reason to read your work aloud. I love a good comma. Commas are a bit controversial in the writing and editing worlds, as the rules are a bit hazy. There are plenty of situations when you absolutely have to have a comma, but plenty where it could go either way. And don’t even get me started on different rules for different types of books, different style guides, and different mediums of writing altogether. My philosophy with commas—in fiction, at least—is based on how it sounds to the reader, and reading the work aloud is super helpful in determining what the reader would hear. Commas belong in the same space that a reader would breathe because it helps them naturally find those pauses. Commas offer a gentle whitespace of sorts to control the cadence and rhythm of your story. So if you’re not sure whether to add a comma or not, read it aloud and see where you naturally pause. Put one there.
