16 Reasons to read your work aloud

/ D. Wallace Peach
All images Pixabay

Most writers have learned the importance of reading their words aloud. It’s advice I heeded early on and am happy to pass along.

Writing works on myriad levels. On one level, it’s the mechanical delivery of a story, the typing of words according to rules. It’s fingers on keyboards, reams of paper, and editing drafts. Beneath the surface, writing is meaning-making through narrative, tapping out universal themes and archetypes that existed before man first etched his carvings into cave walls.

As an art form, writing has the ability to transport a reader into another world. We paint with words on the mind’s canvas, compose the music of language, stir smells, tastes, and tactile impressions. The goal is emotional immersion, being present in the experience.

I have an irksome sensitivity to the sounds of words and the rhythm of phrases and sentences. When I search for the right word, it’s not just the meaning I’m chasing. I’m looking for the right number of syllables, the sharpness or softness of the consonants. As I nestle a word into a sentence, I listen for the subtlety of alliteration, a rhythm in the flow of the words that form phrases, phrases into paragraphs.

A story has a natural cadence that arises from sentence structure, word choice, and the balance of narrative, dialog, and exposition. By reading our stories aloud, we’re able to experience that cadence the way our readers do. As part of an editing process, hearing the sounds of our words polishes our work in multiple ways… 16 of them, at least.

Why reading aloud helps us write:

  • Our wondrous human brain expertly and unconsciously corrects and smooths over mistakes. Awesome, but it works against us when writing!
  • On top of that, we are familiar with our work – we’ve written it, edited it, read it, and lived it. We no longer need to read each word to read the sentences.
  • Reading aloud forces our brains to focus. The goal is to slow down, read each word, and hear the writing “fresh.”

Reading aloud is one of the most powerful proofreading techniques around, and reading from a printed copy is even better. It further tricks the brain by changing up the visual (as well as providing room for notes).

So what are all these amazing benefits?

1) Typos, missing and misplaced words: Since our brains automatically correct our mistakes, these small errors can be hard to see. Note that if you find yourself verbally stumbling or reading a sentence twice, there is probably something tripping you up.

2) Punctuation:  Like typos, these errors are easier to catch (especially if you read a printed copy).

3) Repeat words: (Example) The drizzle descended with the clouds. They waited inside the shelter for the drizzle to cease.

4) Repeat gestures: Everyone’s nodding, smiling, or raising an eyebrow.

5) Repeated rhythms in sentence structure: (Example) Biting her nails, she strode to the window. Glancing outside, she saw the carriage approach.

6) Starting sentences the same way: (Example) He fell asleep to the music. He dreamed of her swollen face and the blood in her hair. He reached for her wrist, and he felt no pulse.

7) Stacked prepositional phrases: (Example) He stood in the garage under the fan by the car in his underwear.

8) Repeated information: Telling the reader twice that the character shut the door or was surprised by the phone call.

9) Information you need to reorder: The character reacts to the gunshot before the reader hears it. (Much better the other way around.)

10) Missing information: The character trips over the cat in the bedroom. Fine, except the reader just saw him eating ice cream on the living room couch. When did he go to the bedroom?

11) Overly long and run-on sentences: Look for sentences that are difficult to read in a single breath or that lose their coherence. (Example) Sam galloped to the steps, leaped three at a time, and landed on the mat, but nothing prepared him for the ice that had formed unexpectedly overnight despite the forecast for fair weather, and he fell flat on his back.

12) Inconsistencies: A character wears a green shirt, and a few pages later, the shirt is blue. Or you’ve indicated that the character can’t see because it’s pitch dark, yet you’ve described the room.

13) Dialog: People generally talk with a natural rhythm of sounds and pauses (or not for some characters). When read aloud, stilted language will sound unnatural and tongue twisters will interrupt the flow. Anything that requires a pause for a second read is worth a revision.

14) Transitions: Transitions from one topic or scene to another may happen too abruptly and need smoothing out.

15) Pacing: Reading aloud is particularly helpful in identifying sequences that are racing by too quickly, slogging along, or wallowing in backstory.

16) Tone: Does the tone sound right? Too formal or casual? A book has an overall tone as does each scene and character.

Special Note:

Reading your work aloud doesn’t mean skipping another very important step: listening to your computer read your book to you!

Aside from hiring an editor, this is the best way to “hear” mistakes since a computer will (boringly) read every word exactly as written.

Do you read your work? Has it helped?

Share your tips and insights.

204 thoughts on “16 Reasons to read your work aloud”

  2. I haven’t read my writing out loud myself, but I did listen to Word’s robot voice read all of She Who Returns. And yes, it was helpful. I totally agree with the right words having a specific number of syllables, and certain sound qualities. And I’m always having to deal with scenes that happen in the dark, so how can my characters see enough to describe the surroundings. Flashlights, candles, and the ever-useful supernatural “glow.” 😀
    Many thanks for your review, by the way!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • My pleasure, Audrey. That “darkness” is a pain to write around, isn’t it? You did fabulously. Robot voice is the most important one, if I had to pick between them, simply because RV doesn’t autocorrect like our brains do. Thanks for the visit and comment. I’ll be sharing my May reviews next week. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  3. Pingback: 16 Reasons to read your work aloud, by D. Wallace Peach

  4. I do read my work aloud from print copy and it really does help! Now I’ve got to start letting my computer read to me too… Diana! I love your opening, so many reasons I love reading. Thanks for another fantastic “Writing Right” article for me to save and share,

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for the kind comment, Bette, and for sharing. I personally don’t find the computer-read valuable for poetry, but for prose, it’s wonderful. And the reading quality gets better and better every year. For me, it’s invaluable. Happy Writing, my friend. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  5. This is a fantastic editing checklist, Diana! I can catch most of these in my head just through reading to edit. However, I have to read aloud for the stumble test to work. I’m thinking I might try having the computer read it to me. Do you use this technique in short increments? I think I would get bored fairly quickly.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  6. Excellent post, Diana. One of the reasons I’m a slow writer is that I read my work aloud. There’s a poetry to writing that’s important to me, even if I’m writing a thriller. Funny, right? But, it’s true for me. I’ve never listened to my work via the computer, but now I might try that. It sounds very helpful. Thank you for sharing this jewel with us. 😊

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • I think it makes sense regardless of genre, Gwen, so I’m glad to hear that you read aloud as a tool. Having the computer read is a good last pass as it will pick up on the more technical stuff. As you can imagine, computer-voice won’t help with the more lyrical aspects of writing. 😀 Thanks for dropping by to read and comment. Happy Writing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    • Ha ha ha. Yes, those long long sentences. They can work fine at times, but other times not so much. And those darn typos. Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Jaya. I’m glad this process is already working for you. Happy Writing!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  8. Ooh, you’ve highlighted my weaknesses here- thanks a lot, lol. Seriously, reading aloud is a smart way to catch cringe-worthy blunders like the guy in his underpants standing in the garage (there’s a story concept!)
    Thanks, Diana.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Ha ha. I’m glad you enjoyed the post, Jacquie. I catch all kinds of stuff this way and a lot of it makes me sigh with relief when I find it (before publishing). Yes, the guy in the garage in his underpants could be a problem! Thanks for the visit, my friend. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  9. Wonderful words of advice, Diana. I am a longtime proponent of reading my work aloud. I need to hear the words more so than to simply see them on a page. Cadence is one of the main things I examine. Thank you for sharing.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Thanks for stopping by, Beem. I’m glad to hear that you already do this. It made a big difference to me and the polish of my prose. And the cadence/flow of sounds is a big part of it for some writers. Glad you enjoyed the post. Happy Writing!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  12. Great post snd subject, Diana 🙂 I always read outloud and have the computer read it back to me. I seem to catch more having the computer read it over me reading it. I tend to still self correct even reading it outloud. It really does catch all those things you listed and is an important part of editing hearing it and those mistakes really are apparent when heard.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thanks for the visit and the comment, Denise. Some of these may not be much of a challenge for you in your writing, and that’s why you don’t hear them. But I agree that the computer read is the most thorough at catching errors since it reads every word – right or wrong. It’s always my last pass. Happy Writing, my friend. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  15. Welcome home, Diana!
    “…verbally stumbling or reading a sentence twice, there is probably something tripping you up.” <<This is how I catch many errors in my work. Especially for picking up a missing word my brain passes over until I hear it. I can’t agree more about having our writing read to us. Early on, I used a PDF reader to read my work aloud, but the monotone voice puts me to sleep and scrambles my brain. I use my Kindle Fire to proofread my manuscripts now. The Kindle Fire voice uses inflections on some words and reads a question like a question. You have given us excellent advice here, Diana. Thanks to you and Story Empire for sharing.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Thanks for dropping by, Mary. That happens to me quite a bit… that stumbling over a weird sentence. The brain is trying to figure it out for me and just can’t quite do it. The computer-read usually catches those, thank goodness. 🙂 Happy Writing, my friend.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  16. Welcome home Diana! Can’t wait for the pictures!!
    This is an awesome post and love this
    “I’m looking for the right number of syllables, the sharpness or softness of the consonants. As I nestle a word into a sentence, I listen for the subtlety of alliteration, a rhythm in the flow of the words that form phrases, phrases into paragraphs.”
    I love the idea of listening but I catch up with phone messages during the time I might otherwise have a chance to listen. Someday maybe!
    💖💖💖

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  17. Diana, you’re a true writer. These sentences prove it: “When I search for the right word, it’s not just the meaning I’m chasing. I’m looking for the right number of syllables, the sharpness or softness of the consonants. As I nestle a word into a sentence, I listen for the subtlety of alliteration, a rhythm in the flow of the words that form phrases, phrases into paragraphs.”

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Thanks so much for the vist, Neil, and for the wonderful comment. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. I just love words, everything about them: how they sound, how they fit together, paint pictures, and make meaning. Can you tell? Lol. Happy Writing, my friend.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

    • The computer-voice read is always my last pass, Priscilla, since every time I edit something, I add another typo. Lol. Ugh. Glad to “hear” that you read your work. It’s a great way to get our stories “sounding” right. Happy Writing!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

    • I definitely recommend having your computer read your prose to you, Judi. And the computer-voice is dreadful, but it’s also getting better. And the benefits are well worth it, for me. I can’t seem to write without my fingers typing strange things. Imaging versus imagining, was one I caught yesterday because I “heard” the difference. I’m glad you enjoyed the post! Happy Writing.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  21. I 100% agree with this, Diana. And what fun it was to discover the ‘read aloud’ option in a word document. It is a great way to catch missing words, echoes, and sentences that do not make sense. I also love what you said about the flow of the words. It’s a cadence, and when a piece of writing is read aloud, you definitely hear it. Great post today! Thank you for sharing!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Thanks for the visit, Jan. It took me a while to figure out the speech function in Word, but what a godsend when I did. I use it a lot. And I never stumble over your writing, so I know you get the importance of hearing our words. Happy Writing, my friend. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  22. Two things.
    One, I must add that reading aloud ALWAYS surprises me with how long my story is. I think I mentally speed-read.

    Two, I’m stealing this and reforming it into a poem because it’s perfect:
    I have an irksome sensitivity to the sounds of words and the rhythm of phrases and sentences. When I search for the right word, it’s not just the meaning I’m chasing. I’m looking for the right number of syllables, the sharpness or softness of the consonants. As I nestle a word into a sentence, I listen for the subtlety of alliteration, a rhythm in the flow of the words that form phrases, phrases into paragraphs.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Awww. You honor me, Chelsea. Steal away. And that’s funny about your read-aloud experience. Sometimes I’ll read a scene from my work, sit back, and say, “this is really boring.” It’s a good sign that I need to whittle it down by half. Lol. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. I just got back from your part of the world. Utah never ceases to amaze me.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

    • I let Word read to me too, Colleen, and the voice isn’t too bad, really. I think it will only get better and better with time. I have to admit using the computer only for prose, but I do read poetry aloud myself. So much poetry is meant to be heard. Thanks for the visit, and Happy Writing!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  24. I’ve learned how crucial it is to do this for many of the reasons you mentioned. It’s incredible how many times I can trick my brain when reading something silently from my computer screen. When I read my work aloud, I catch many things that have passed me by before. I especially agreed with your point about repeated body language.

    Another brain trick along the same lines is printing a hard copy. I have no idea why, but I see my errors much clearer than on the computer screen.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Hi, Pete, and thanks for the great comment. Our brains are amazing, aren’t they? Though the autocorrect function can be a real pain when writing. Lol. And I have the same reaction to seeing my work printed on paper versus the screen. It’s weird how that happens. Thanks for the visit and I hope your book is coming along well!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  25. I do that. Especially when I am writing poetry (which I do so infrequently). I notice so much when I do that. And if you read aloud, you notice so much in conversations between your characters. Talking isn’t as grammatically correct as writing.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Computers are terrible at reading poetry, Michele. Lol. But reading aloud with our own voices is essential, I think. And great point about dialog! Of course that makes total sense. Thanks for the visit and comment. Happy Writing!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

    • Oh my gosh, yes! I can always spot a novice writer, because they don’t use the contractions or slang type language that people use nowadays. I rarely say “I have to,” but say, “I gotta” instead. And when’s the last time you heard someone say, I cannot?”

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      • I haven’t heard “cannot” in modern dialog in a long time. Poetry is a little different, and I write fantasy, which also can require more formal or stilted language at times, but great point that sometimes it just doesn’t sound right. Thanks for adding to the discussion, Yeshua. 🙂

        Like

  26. Enjoyed this post and the computer reading back the data is boring but does offer value – glad
    You mentioned that..
    And we can get so familiar with it work – thanks for the benefis of the need to:
    hear the writing “fresh.”

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  27. There are so many benefits to reading aloud, having the computer read and transferring a manuscript to Kindle – all of which I’ve been doing these past couple of years. But the best way of catching errors that I’ve found is to convert a book into an audiobook at the final pre-publishing stage. It’s a good benefit to reap against the production cost!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  28. Well said, Diana. I too love the way the right word fits a sentence for all the reasons you mentioned. I usually have the computer read aloud to me as one of the final editing steps, looking for repeated words, typos, grammar. Great article.

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply

    • It’s the last step for me too, Jacqui, since every change I make during the editing process adds mistakes. Lol. The final computer-read is the spit and polish. I think I knew that you did this step. Glad you can relate! Happy Editing!

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

    • Not everyone does read their work aloud, Yvette, especially if they have an excellent editor. But it’s worth a try. I feel like I catch things that aren’t “wrong” but could be better – as well as things that are just plain errors. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy your read!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  31. Now i also know professional writing is a little bit like mathematics, with very strong rules. I think i will stay as a reader. 😉 Thanks Diana! Nonetheless, reading aloud is a great way to spot mistakes and confirm interesting flow of text. Best wishes, Michael

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Thanks for the visit and comment, Michael. But unlike mathematics, with writing, you can carefully break the rules! Have you heard the George RR Martin quote: “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies…. The man who never reads lives only one.” Reading is wonderful. Enjoy.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  33. It’s so good to see you back again, Diana! I hope you had a fun trip. 🙂 This article is so helpful and filled with sage advice. I’ve found as I’ve gotten older it’s more difficult to catch every typo or misspelled word due to my “old guy” vision, so forcing myself to slow down by reading it carefully aloud definitely helps me catch more careless errors (but not all, apparently). Wonderful advice and so helpful. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Greetings, Mike. It is great to be back and I’ll share some photos and haiku in a couple of days (though not as wonderful as yours, I’m afraid). I’m glad you enjoyed the post. My brain is completely on auto-correct when I read silently, so I miss tons of typos. This is probably the most important of all my editing tricks. Can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to. I’ll be over soon. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

    • That’s a great idea, Darlene. I’ll bet you catch a lot when you read to critique partners. What fun too. I find reading my work aloud one of the most important steps in polishing my work. Even when I think the thing is done, I always always always find errors or passages that don’t “sound” right. Thanks for sharing your experience, my friend. Happy Writing!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  36. I am a HUGE fan of reading my work aloud, Diana—for all the reasons you named, most especially for the “music” of the prose. A discordant word or sentence of inappropriate length (too long or too short for the pacing) will always jump out at me.
    I attempted to let the computer read once, but couldn’t hack the droning, LOL. Maybe I need to give it another go ’round.

    Excellent post!

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    • That’s a great idea, Sarah! I like being able to scribble on the print copy, but in a large print that would make for a lot of paper. The important thing, I think, is just seeing it in a different format, and with Kindle you get the extra advantage of seeing how the book will look to your readers. Nice! Thanks for adding your suggestion to the discussion. Happy Writing!

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

      • It’s interesting what you spot on Kindle while you are reading aloud. Chapter titles or numbers too large for the body of the work for example. I keep the document open on my computer too, so I can make any corrections at once rather than risking forgetting them.

        Liked by 2 people

      • I figured you had a way of making the changes. It’s an intriguing idea. On one of my books, I loaded the whole thing into WP so I could read it in a different format. Lol. Kindle is a much better idea. 😀

        Liked by 1 person

  39. Pingback: 16 Reasons to read your work aloud | Legends of Windemere

    • Thanks for the visit, Craig. I didn’t do it for my first few years and then did it as part of a rewrite and was shocked at how useful it was. I’d be curious to hear what you think if you give it a try. 🙂 Happy Writing!

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

  42. Another excellent post, Diana. We’ve all bought books where the things you mention above intrude and take us out of the experience. I often read the first pages on Amazon of a book I’m thinking of buying and all of those issues can mean the difference between clicking it into the basket or abandoning it. As you say, we see and hear what we expect to when reading our own work and slowing down to read aloud will catch most of those. Marcia Meara once recommended listening to your computer read what you’ve written and I set up my system to do that – now I need to use it! I loved the examples! x

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply

    • Thanks for the comment, Alex. I do both – read aloud and have my computer read to me. It’s made a big difference. I’m glad you enjoyed the examples. I’m always relieved when I catch things like that in my own work. 🙂 Happy Writing, my friend. ❤

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

    • Thanks for stopping by, Jill. I think you’re right that our read-aloud can happen at any point and be useful. Computer-reading is my last step since I make mistakes every time I make an edit a paragraph. Lol. I’m glad you’ve found both approaches helpful. Happy Writing, my friend.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  44. Excellent points, Diana. I’ve yet to try the computer reading function, but I’ve been thinking about it. Not sure I could listen to a monotone novel, but tech is always advancing. Soon, AI will sound better than we do! Great post.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • It’s definitely boring, Staci, but I find I catch a bunch of errors. A super editor can do the same. Your writing is very clean, and I know you have an excellent editor, so your system is working. Thanks for dropping by and Happy Writing!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

    • Thanks for the visit, Harmony. That’s a weird one, isn’t it? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve struggled with a sentence and don’t register the mistake. Then I really focus and find that I have an extra word in there that my brain was trying to ignore. Lol. Happy Writing, my friend. ❤

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

    • I’m glad you’ve found the technique helpful, Beth. It’s definitely worth the effort, I think. Writing is such an interesting process, visual as well as auditory, and our stories are worth the effort. Happy Writing!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  47. Sound, assonance, cadence, rhythm – and so much more.

    Except I pick that up from the computer reading. Too exhausting for me to read it out loud because I have ME/CFS, and no energy.

    But I use the computer read for everything from sentences to the whole scene. It’s a big part of my ‘process.’

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  48. Such a logical piece indeed. It’s something i agree every writer should do. I always read to see whether it would sound right. Helps me revise a few overspoken and misspoken sentences and capture a character’s style of speaking. Amazing technique indeed. 😊

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply

    • I think you’ll be hooked once you try it. Great question about blog posts too. I do read my blog posts aloud, or I copy them to Word and have my computer read them to me, and I frequently find errors. My comments are another story, and are often full of typos. Lol. Happy Writing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  50. HI Diana, this is a great post. I do read my stories aloud now, usually to my mom. I didn’t used to do that. I do find I discover a lot of little mistakes that way. I have never listened to the computer read my work though. It sounds dreadfully dull SIGH!

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    • Ha! It can be rather dull to listen to the computer read, except that if you’re me, you’ll find problems and errors. And I always breathe a sigh of relief when that happens. What a wonderful idea to read aloud to your mom! I love that! Happy Writing, my friend. ❤

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

We'd love to know what you think. Comment below.

Please log in using one of these methods to post your comment:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s