The most important lesson I learned from copywriting and playwriting is to always read your work aloud.
Most writers don’t do it. They simply write, edit and hit publish.
But they don’t take those extra 5 minutes that can make all the difference.
When you read out loud before publishing, you answer three important questions.
Is this simple to understand?
If you are publishing something, you are no longer writing for yourself. You are writing for other people.
Is it clear to your audience what you are talking about?
When reading out loud, you will often find opportunities to make everything more clear.
Are there any logical leaps?
Writing is a mental activity. Thoughts are swift and fleeting.
Since most writers think faster than they can type, they often miss a few logical steps.
Things that are obvious to you but might not be immediate to your reader.
Reading out loud helps you find these missing logical leaps by getting out of your head.
Does it sound well?
People who are unable to see (or are too lazy to read) can find your articles and books. They’ll listen to your work using text-to-speech software.
Text-to-speech apps are becoming cheaper and more integrated into computers and smartphones. This means that your content will be read out loud in some way.
When this happens, how will it sound? Will it flow well, making it enjoyable? Will it be convoluted and filled with lengthy sentences?
This isn’t true only for text-to-speech programs. Your books, articles, and copy may become audiobooks, podcasts, and video sales messages to expand your reach and meet a larger audience.