Reading Aloud to Grow as a Writer
Reading your draft novel, or portions of it, aloud to yourself can reveal developmental (big-picture) issues you may otherwise miss. If you prepare for it with intention, you will gain greater insights and identify opportunities to strengthen your work and grow as a writer. The point of this exercise is not to identify spelling and grammar mistakes, but to listen to how your work in progress sounds, get a feel for its pacing, and identify any plot holes or things that are missing. But reading aloud can also help you identify what’s working well. It’s just as important to celebrate what you love about your writing!
Preparing to Read Your Work Aloud
Set aside some time in a place where you can focus on what you hear. If you’re reading a long manuscript, break it up into sizeable chunks over a week or two.
Take a few deep breaths or do any other centering activity that works for you. It’s natural to feel nervous, or even silly, at the thought of hearing your words in your own voice.
Quiet your inner critic and invite a growth mindset. The experience will be less intimidating if you have an open mind and focus on possibilities.
Resist the urge to fix anything, which will pull you out of the experience.
What to Listen For
Below are some things to listen for as you read your work aloud, although the list is not comprehensive. It’s important to put all of this aside for a day or two before you start the exercise so you can go into it with a clear head.
Flow
Do you trip over a sentence or passage and need to reread it? Are there just a few, or do you notice a pattern? Your readers will likely trip over these areas, too, which will pull them out of your story. Are there ways you could say the same thing more succinctly or in plain language?
Balanced pacing maintains reader engagement and gives them an emotional break to take in information. Are there sections that drag? Do high-intensity sections go on too long?
Exposition
Do long passages of exposition slow down your story? Do you feel bored? If your attention wanders, your readers likely will lose interest in these areas, too. Could you reduce the exposition by showing rather than telling?
New writers often feel the need to narrate a character’s movement as though describing what you’d see in a movie. Try pulling back and letting readers use their imaginations.
Is the exposition critical to the story? If so, how could you introduce some tension?
Dialogue
Do your characters have unique voices or do they all sound alike? If not, spend some time thinking about how each character would likely sound. What kind of words would they use? Would they be wordy or terse? However, beware of trying to mimic dialect or using too many colloquialisms, as they can become distracting to readers.
Does the dialogue sound stiff or stuffy? You may want to include some contractions and the occasional incomplete sentence.
Do long passages of dialogue feel like a tennis match? People move around when they speak. You may want to break up the dialogue with gestures and movements. This can slow down a scene and help readers identify speakers if you aren’t using dialogue tags.
Voice
Voice is different from dialogue; it’s your unique way of telling the story. Does anything seem out of character for you that you feel isn’t working?
Are you trying to emulate a writer or style that you admire? You may want to read my blog post Finding Your Voice as a Writer.
What’s missing?
It’s also important to note what is missing. You may catch places where you forgot to connect the dots or provide key information a reader will need, which is especially important in certain genres, such as mysteries. Beta readers and editors can also help you with this.
Reflection Exercises
At the end of your session, jot down some notes. Make two columns: 1) What’s Working Well, 2) Opportunities for Growth. Reflection and celebration are equally important.
When you’re done reading your manuscript, review all the notes you’ve taken.
Make a list of the top 5 things you feel are working well. How can you celebrate them?
Make a list of the top 5 opportunities for improvement. Do you have the skills to address them? If not, brainstorm how you’ll research them (articles, books, webinars/videos, classes) or get support (critique partner, writing group, developmental editor, writing coach).
Next Steps
Review the What to Listen For section for tips.
If you don’t have the skills to address something, how will you develop them?
Research: articles, blog posts, books
Education: webinars/videos, classes
Personalized support: critique partner, writing group, writing coach, developmental editor
Use the questions in these exercises as inspiration when crafting questions for your beta readers.
Celebrate your dedication to your art!