“You’re
not reading that right!” said a new member of my critique group with dismay sprawled
across her face.
It might have been me years ago when I first joined them. I
was used to other writers silently reading five to ten pages of my fabulous, neatly
typed and copied pages of my latest writing project
But
over the years, I’ve learned there is no right
way to read a manuscript. A person can only read what the writer has typed and
submitted to the group. If they’ve typed a boring manuscript, the reader will
read a boring manuscript. I’ve silently groaned while listening to my words
that I thought were perfect.
Try it. During the reading, listen for overused words. Even your
favorite, most active verb has a life span. Search for a replacement. Read other
writers in your genre. Sometimes I type the paragraph or paragraphs that make my
heart beat faster. The simple act of typing forces me to think more deeply
about the words on the page.
If
a paragraph or a page makes your heart beat faster, read it aloud and focus on the
“how”. Just how did the author bring
magic to the page?
Posted by Gwendolyn Hooks
Excellent, pithy advice. Reading my picture book manuscripts and poems aloud always helps me make them stronger. Thanks for the reminder!
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