The Writer’s Mirror – Read It Aloud

Vanity. Pride. Ah, the sins of a writer. You’ve worked long and hard to put together that story. It may be a short story or a novel, but you’ve nailed it! Or have you? Only the time tested act of putting it before the writer’s mirror can really tell you the answer.

What is the writer’s mirror? You. It is that simple. It is easy to get caught up in your writing and miss the simplest of errors and twists that make little sense. One easy way to discover them is to start reading your story from beginning to end – aloud. The eye will pass over some errors, but the voice never will.

The written word is very different from the spoke word. In fact, it is so different that you can often gain the impression that you are hearing an entirely different story than what was written. It is a quark, but one that can show you the weak points of your brilliant manuscript.

You might find this a dubious concept. That’s fine, but at least give it a try. You’ll be in for a big shock. Take your favorite masterpiece out and grab a seat. Now start reading aloud. I highly recommend you do this in a private place instead of a public one. People tend to frown on ramblers and the authorities do as well. Trust me on this one.

Regardless, it goes without saying that oral reading of the story will reveal something. It will be even better than merely reading the written version. Why? The human communication system is one that involves far more than just words. There is tone, volume and inflection of the voice. This will come out. If there are any imperfections in the story, you’ll stumble upon them fairly quickly.

Now do the same with your storyline. You are going to find blemishes. Some will be small. Some you could drive a truck through. This is the nature of writing. The written word is a beautiful thing, but sometimes you must step back from it to see how things ultimately look. This is where the writer’s mirror comes in.

Remember, the idea of the story comes from an oral tradition – not a written one. If your story sounds good, it will convey the tone, pace and technique that is needed to make it a plausible one for the reader. That is, after all, your ultimate goal.

By: Tom Ajava

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Thomas Ajava is with NomadJournals.com - makers of writing journals for writers and readers alike.