"I think what can often help is asking someone else to read your work aloud to you, or better yet, ask him/her to record himself reading it, and then listen to that recording by yourself and then with others."
~ Ginger Knowlton (Agent w/Curtis Brown LTD) - on Jolie Stekly's blog Cuppa Jolie
The above quote was taken from Jolie Stekly's blog (clickable link above). This was part of an interview she did with literary agent, Ginger Knowlton.
This is an ingenious idea! Reading your own story out loud, so you can hear it rather than just see it, is something every writer should certainly do. But having someone else read it aloud? Even better.
When you read your own story, you may have a tendency to read it the way you want it to read, rather than the way it actually comes across to readers who don't hear the character's voices in their head, aren't in your head-space, and don't know what you meant to say.
Having someone record themselves reading your story, so you can go back over it whenever you want, would certainly be one of the most helpful tips I've ever run across. It could be your sister, a delightful beta-reader, your husband, whoever. If they trip up? Good! Then you'll know which areas a reader may trip up on, while trying to read your book.
A simple recording device, a willing victim, and your finished manuscript is all you need. And voila! A low-cost, utterly fantastic, invaluable way to improve your writing and your story, while helping you revise and edit your manuscript.
I absolutely agree - it sounds a whole lot different when heard aloud, especially dialogue. It's so much easier to spot the obviously clunky spots.
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