Reading your work aloud is a critical component of the writing and revising process. Some of us resist it. It takes up time. It can be a bit slow moving between the page or screen and the voice, and back again. We think it’s something that only parents and teachers do with kids. We cringe at the thought of it, of having to speak and hear our own work, feeling that the writing was hard enough.
The reading ear is indeed acute. It feels when the narrative is boring. It hears the clunky phrasing. The speaking mouth stumbles over the missing comma, tenses at the verbose dialogue. Reading aloud is so physical, and revealing. That’s exactly why reading aloud is such an excellent writing and editing tool.
‘When we read writing aloud it increases our chance of noticing any mismatches or friction between the outer physical experience of hearing the sound of our words and the inner mental or cognitive experience
Peter Elbow, ‘How Does Revising by Reading Aloud Actually Work?’, Vernacular Eloquence: What Speech Can Bring to Writing (New York, 2012; online edn, Oxford Academic, 3 Mar. 2015).
of feeling the meaning.’
And when the pages are working? The sounds of words, the rhythm and tone of the sentences, the heart of the story are all so fearfully alive, that who can pass up that reward?
In this post, I’m shifting from those private readings we do as writers, to the public event. For writers, ‘public’ includes reading to family, other writers, in a workshop or at a major literary event. The preparation essentials don’t change.
The essentials
- Practice thoroughly beforehand
- Select the best extract for the event and the audience
- Do not go over your allocated time.
To start with, choose the best passage
Very often, writers don’t have an opportunity to read a complete piece, an entire short story, essay or chapter. Choosing an extract is challenging, as the piece needs to be interesting, able to be read out of the context of the work, and fit within the time allocation.
Whether it’s half a page or five pages, the passage should involve the vivid rendering of a character or incident. A passage that’s purely descriptive and scene-setting may lose the interest of listeners.
Listen to and watch other writers
Writers’ festivals, local independent bookstores, YouTube and podcasts—there are so many ways to hear other writers read their work well, and sometimes not so well. Listen and watch with a critical and appreciative ear.
Time yourself
The recommended reading speed for audio book narration is 150-160 words per minute. In practice, this means that a 12-point font, double-spaced A4 page of narrative will take about 2 minutes to read aloud.
Use a stopwatch (phone, watch, etc) to time your reading. Whatever number of pages or number of minutes you’re given, do not go over them.
Time yourself when you first make your selection, and again when you’re finished with the practise runs. Include your introductory remarks when you’re timing yourself.
Practise
The most important element to practising reading aloud is to do just that – read your work aloud many times. Do this weeks or days before the event. Not that morning.
Editing beforehand
What works well on the page in the context of the whole story, essay or novel, won’t necessarily work so well for a live reading. In preparing for the reading, you can revise the text.
There may be a section of dialogue or a reference to other characters that won’t make sense to listeners during the reading. There is no requirement to read those lines. Edit them out for the reading. Your aim is to choose a section to read that will be compelling and enjoyable.
Record yourself and listen back
Use your computer or phone to record yourself, then listen back. If you don’t like the sound of your voice, think about why that is. Are you just being harsh on yourself, or can you identify the elements that need adjusting?
Use a mirror, or a pet
It can be helpful to read to a mirror, or a pet. Dogs are especially good listeners. Even when their eyes are closed, they are listening.
Practice using the same device you’re planning to use at the event (phone, iPad, printed page).
Sitting or standing, keep your head up, making imaginary eye contact every now and then. Check that you’re holding the device/pages in such a way that you’re not hunched too low.
Use your voice
Listen to the various ways you can use your voice to enhance the meaning. Find a good pace and respond to the meaning and tenor of the lines. Are you reading too flat? Is your voice monotonous?
Try reading aloud from work by another writer, and see how much easier it is to inject life into that reading. Take that more confident and relaxed voice back to your own work.
Listen, again. Think about your pace. Were you hurrying to get it over with? Don’t rush. It’s frustrating for listeners when it’s not possible to easily hear the words or comprehend the content.
You’re not acting the scene. It’s a reading. You’re simply aiming to read well.
Tessa Hadley reads ‘The Maths Tutor‘ for The Writer’s Voice podcast. Her voice is so crisp and clear, and yet relaxed.
Maria Tokalander reads her short story ‘A Roānkin philosophy of poetry’, published/broadcast at Australian Book Review. Her reading starts at 3 minutes. Her voice is clear, but perhaps is too uninflected: we’re not hearing the story’s ironic tenor.
Ian McEwan: In this YouTube clip from a Cambridge zoom event McEwan is reading another writer’s work. You’ll see he’s new to the selection, so is at a disadvantage, but even still it’s a good example of reading aloud done well. Pacing, intonation, emphasis, it’s all there. A read-along with Ian McEwan – Dreaming of life after lockdown
Mark up your text
Reading aloud will help you take notice of the visual surface of your text. Stopping at periods. Pausing with commas. Pausing between paragraph breaks, etcetera. Reading aloud will help you take notice of where words, punctuation marks, paragraph breaks are missing or out of order.
If your practise sessions show you that you need some visual reminders at particular points (to slow down on a word, or put a hint of emphasis on a final word, etc,) mark up the text with whatever lines or highlights make sense to you.
Practise your introductory words
Prepare what you’re going to say about the piece. A few lines of context are sufficient, enough to provide a context. Remember, your introductory words are included in your allocated reading time.
David Sederis says dress up!
“Don’t let the audience see how many pages you have, and don’t announce how many poems or essays you’re about to read. Don’t go over your allotted time. Dress up for the occasion.” David Sedaris’s Tips for Improving Your Writing by Reading Aloud
My last tip: remember to smile.
This post began as a tutorial I prepared for the writers in my current workshop. I’ve drawn on my own experience of reading aloud many times at events, and having listened to many hundreds of writers at festivals, launches, podcasts and the like. I’ve also chaired festival panels and visiting writers, and know that the best of them always practice and prepare beforehand.
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