Yes, you’ll feel funny doing this. People may look at you strangely; you may even become the topic of conversation at the water cooler. But, the power of this one proofreading skill cannot be understated.
Why do you do it?
Chapter 24 stressed the importance of writing like you speak. How else can you confirm you’ve hit that all-important bulls-eye without reading the work aloud and feeling how easily it rolls off your tongue?
You can't.
How do you do it?
Listen to the words as you read.
Listen objectively and you’ll no doubt pick up on the spots where a phrase trips you up. That's a spot to mark and consider rewording. If it didn't sound right to you – the person who wrote it and supposedly knew what you were trying to say – then it's not going to sound right to a reader coming across it for the first time.
You’ll hear the momentary stutter as the brain stumbles over an unclear thought. Mark this on the draft as a place to consider adding clarification or explanation. Or, a spot where the logic of your argument could use some help.
You'll notice the deep breath as the lungs recover from a run-on sentence. Guess what? You need to break that sentence up. Mark it down.
If you apply no other step in this section, making a habit of reading your work aloud will still work wonders with the quality of your content.
Exercise #24 – Read it Aloud
1. Go ahead, do it.
2. Each time something sounds slightly off to your ear, or is difficult to read, mark up the draft to indicate a change may be necessary.
3. Read the next chapter.