Writing Tips: The Importance of Reading Out Loud by David Khara

David Khara is the author of the Consortium Thriller series, which offer a roller-coaster ride that dips into the history of World War II, rushing back to present day with a loop-to-loop of action and humor. The Bleiberg Project was an instant success when it was first released, and The Shiro Project just came out in paperback, published by mystery and thriller publisher Le French Book. The third book in the series, The Morgenstern Project is scheduled for release in English spring 2015. 

DAVID KHARA:
Writing Tips: The Importance of Reading Out Loud

I often talk about writing techniques with my fellow authors, and it seems I have a particularity they find surprising: I read my novels out load during the last round of corrections. And I don’t do that alone. Actually three of us sit around the table. I do the reading, while my two companions read on paper.

This phase might be the most important of all. This is where you spot the last mistakes, letters, and words that are missing. But even more important, this where you know if the text is smooth or not.

Smoothness is essential when it comes to the Consortium Thriller series. There are a lot of different characters, a lot of action and many flashbacks. Hence, I adapt my writing to the story, and not the opposite. That is the reason why depending on the character, the time or the place, my writing is different. But this is not my point. My point is, since the novels are quite complex, it is of the utmost importance that the reader have a smooth, enjoyable read.

During this phase, words become notes, text becomes music. Also I take a step backward from the book and turn myself into a reader, sometimes discovering aspects of the novel I wasn’t fully aware of since, from time to time, I kind of drift off while I’m creating. It is a pretty fun experience indeed.

Since I cannot read more than 4 hours in a row, it usually takes me from four to five days to go through the whole novel. And by the end of the exercise, I am almost unable to speak. But isn’t writing all about dedication?

I don’t know many writers who go through the reading out loud phase, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone, and especially to beginning writers.