“Say it. Out Loud.” –Edward Cullen, pale, ice cold, and slightly belligerent boyfriend.
Do you read your manuscripts aloud?
Lately, as part of the ninth circle of hell revision process, I’ve been reading each chapter aloud as a final pass-check before I move on to revising the next chapter (and the next, and the next. Good Lord, what demon possessed me to write 36 chapters??). Even though I have effectively read the chapter a gazillion times, the read-aloud pass always brings revisions that make it more pleasing to the ear (also: very good for catching repeats, in words or phrases).
I think this is especially important to do in kidlit. Because these stories WILL be read aloud, or at least there’s a strong possibility of it. Maybe not for the older teen novels, but anything younger than that could be read aloud by parents or children.
Mighty Mite reads his stories aloud to me, as he works on improving his reading skills, and I’m always amazed at how even a 7 year old can put the proper cadence into a well written sentence. And sometimes he rewrites on the fly, changing a clunky sentence into the smoother version that it should have been (hey! even published novels aren’t flawless).
Next month, I’m going to my first face-to-face critique session with some talented writers in my local SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) network. I’ve had lots and lots of critiques of my work, but since I connect with most of my writer friends online, they come in the form of Track Changes and narrative critiques. The face-to-face critique will be a new, and somewhat terrifying, experience for me. I may chicken out and have one of the other writers read for me (aren’t they nice?).
Do you read your MS aloud?
hi miss susan! i like this post cause its just what i do with what i write. i got asked to do 2 critiques on kid books and reading them out loud is how i got to know what could need to get done lots better. i even said that to the writers that it could be a real good help to read your stuff out loud. my brother taught me that from his writing poems. i hope you have a really nice day! wow i got so much i been learning about writing good stuff. 🙂
…hugs from lenny
I do! But normally just dialogue bits that are giving me problems. It ALWAYS helps… 😀
I'm with you, as that's exactly what I do, too. I have to hear it sing outloud to know if it actually sounds the way I want it to read outloud or does it come off sounding clumsy? Anyone who understands a writer's mind, especially a kidlit writer, knows the method of their madness is just perfection of their craft. Thanks for sharing!
I read mine aloud to my kids, pen in hand to write notes on the MS.
definitely! but only the later drafts. i often read bits to my kids… the bits that are appropriate and interesting to kids! 🙂 they're ruthless critters! 🙂
Yes! You're right about it being the best way to catch issues with fluency and redundancy. I like to read it to my kids and see if they laugh in the right places, and get nervous when I think they should… 🙂
Oh, very much so! I cannot believe how many errors I catch, especially in final edits. I read every single word, too. It helps with my action scenes as well as my dialogue. (But my throat gets sore after awhile…) 🙂
@Lenny I love that your brothers take such good care of you, even with your writing! 🙂
@LTM Funny, the dialogue is never the part that gets revised. It's those other clumsy sentences…erg.
@Cathy Exactly! 🙂
@Ted and @aspiring They are the best critics, those kids. 🙂
@Shannon I know! Part of me wishes I had two sets of eyes – one to read and one to watch their reactions.
@Darby Whisper. 🙂 Somehow it works, even if it's not loudly vocalized.
I know this sounds like baloney, but I can read in my head in such a way that it's like reading aloud.
I only know this works because when I DO read my work aloud at my crit groups, I have rarely found one of those awkward errors or repetitive words/ phrases, etc., that you mentioned. However, I still do it sometimes when I'm alone just to be sure. 🙂
@LT I totes believe you – I think there's a name for it: "subvocalizing" or some such. You're lucky. I get strange looks from the cats. 🙂
I do. I must admit, a couple of times throughout the revision process I've refrained from rereading the draft out loud AGAIN. But I do always do it at least once, because it's amazing the things you catch that way. 😉
Oh my heck! That shirt is the best thing ever. I want to get one for my husband, as he thinks that's the most ridiculous part of the movie. Ha ha ha!
And yes, I read my MS out loud. It's quite embarrassing. 🙂
I don't read out loud, actually, but I sort of hear it in my head as I write and read. Sound and rhythm and flow are really important to me, so I'm always "listening" for that as I work.
@Shannon I try to limit it to once per rinse cycle, otherwise I make myself crazy.
@Elana LOL! Sounds like the perfect Christmas present. And my mailman says he doesn't peek in my windows to see me talking to myself, but I'm not sure I believe him.
@Bryan Your work is very lyrical. I think you must have speakers installed in your brain. 😉
I always catch awkward spots when I read aloud. It's good for any writing, but kidlit, for sure. Today, I was reading a picture book WIP I'd set aside. I could tell which places had rhythm and which didn't.
I read my MS aloud, but only when it's the very last thing to do before sending it out. And I can't do it often. I once did it twice within the same month, and the second time I was so sick of my own words I had to quit halfway through 😛
@Tricia And it's double important for PB, I imagine!
@Adam LOL I had to stop editing a chapter yesterday because I was going to tear my hair out. After this draft, my MS and I need some quality time apart. 🙂
I do a read-aloud pass through and a printed pass through and I'm always amazed that I catch different problems with each one. It's funny what your brain notices just by approaching the story in a different format.
Not only do I read each new chap outloud, but when my hubby gets home he reads it outloud to me. I'm always amazed at the difference that makes. I read it with the preconceived notions of the writer. He reads it fresh, like every other reader will. I sit and take notes. Then I make the changes. And yes, there are always changes.
@Sherri I've never been a fan of printing out for revisions – it just seems like a waste of ink/paper – but for a final pass-through, I might have to rethink that. I think different formats DO force us to take in the words in a different way, which makes me wonder now about paper books vs. Nook. Hmm….
@Leisha Your hubs is cool! Now that I think about it, I will definitely get my crit group friends to read for me. 🙂
I may read it out loud later…but right now there's no WAY I want people hearing it in its rough draft form.
@Vicki LOL I know exactly what you mean.
I read out loud so I can catch all those words my brain "sees" even though they didn't actually get typed on the page! And I'll be doing just that this week with my NaNo draft.
Also, a face-to-face? It'll be awesome. Your writing rocks and your personality does as well. You have no reason to be worried. It'll be worthwhile and stretching and awesome. 🙂
@Charity It is amazing that it actually works that way! But I would advise holding off on the read aloud until you have revised lots – I didn't do a read aloud until the third draft, and only because I was sending it off to betas that I would be embarrassed to have read my typos. Reading aloud takes time, and if you may be making substantial revisions anyway, you might as well hold off. Just my 2 cents!
And that face-to-face is coming up soon…!