Speak Your Writing

Language was originally in oral form. It was spoken and heard, not written and seen. Even today, spoken language is more powerful than its written counterpart. Spoken language sounds different than written language. It connects more directly with our emotions, and it is often easier to digest than written language. So it is important, as writers, that we stay connected to the spoken form of our writing. When editing your work, don't rely solely on a silent reading of it. Reading silently can lull you into thinking your writing needs little or no revision because you are experiencing your writing passively. Reading your work aloud, however, jolts you and wakes you up because it is an active experience of your writing. When you read your work aloud, you hear things that you don't notice with a silent reading. Everything leaps out at you when you read aloud - awkward wording, phrases that don't sound right, nonsensical wording, awkward transitions, choppy writing, style inconsistencies, etc. These are all things that a silent reading of your work may gloss over because the reading mind tends to skim or glide over words and groups of words. The speaking mind, however, lingers over and pronounces each individual word, causing it to notice the sound and detail of each one. So, when you're editing your work, use a combination of silent review and reading aloud to gain the best perspective you can and make the most of your revision process.