Friday, April 30, 2010

Read Aloud

I plotted and didn't get much written. One sentence is all I produced and that defines "didn't get much written."

Writing Tip: Actually, I worked on an article to submit to a homeschooling magazine. The article is on the importance of reading aloud to emergent readers. The sound of story is very important in developing that part of the brain that craves reading.

And that brings us to this writing tip. Not only do I read my chapters aloud, I have them read aloud to me. Hearing your story reveals two important things. The author hears mistakes in vocabulary, grammar, and syntax easier than when reading the material silently.
Second, the cadence of the language is more apparent. People say that "the narrative flows." This is akin to that nebulous thing people call "The Author's Voice." Largo, allegretto, messo di voce, and crescendo all describe dynamics and tempo for music. The dynamics and tempo of a written piece are important in the delivery of story. This integral part of emphasizing mood in your writing is there in print, but more easily recognized, and thereafter, fine-tuned when you hear the words.

2 comments:

  1. Ever since I was little, my parents read aloud to me and my siblings. I've recently discovered that I like to read things aloud, adding drama and emphasis. I've just begun reading my stories aloud, and they've improved considerably. Besides, it's fun - especially when you do accents.

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  2. I learned this when I started reading aloud to my siblings at night before bed. Some books were great on paper, but were choppy when read aloud. My tongue kept getting tripped up, because they just didn't flow well.

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