Polish Your Writing: The Power of Reading Aloud

Friends and family often ask me to review their writing before they consider it finished. They instinctively know that after viewing their own text multiple times, they are likely to miss errors. But how do you polish your own work if you don't have a handy editor around?

My best tip is to read the full text (and I mean all of it) aloud. Here are some common errors to look for when you edit by reading out loud:

Repetition

We all have certain words we tend to use frequently, because they feel familiar and comfortable. It is easy to overuse these words, which can be off-putting to the reader. You may not see the repeated words, but I bet you will hear them.

Template Mistakes

I usually build a piece of writing from some other text I've composed in the past. This template allows me to save time. However, it can also lead to blunders. Case in point: today I almost wrote a letter dated 2023. I caught this error by reading out loud.

Awkward Sentence Construction

Sometimes a sentence that looks just fine on paper sounds completely incorrect when we hear it. How can the sentence be fixed? Ask yourself, "What am I trying to say?" Now answer that question out loud. You will be able to create a more natural sentence when you speak. Quick! Before you forget what you said, write that improved sentence down.

By reading your work aloud, you can catch these common errors and polish your writing. Good luck!