How to Self-Edit Like a Pro Part 3: Editing by Voice

Most of us have seen this illusion

If you have never seen this one before, write down what you think it says. Then read it out loud word for word. 

Okay, yes, there is an extra "the" in the triangle. How could you have missed it? Well, we don't actually read every word. We see them, but certain words are so common we pay little attention because we understand them from the context. We don't skim, but we tune out parts of the sentence as simple background. 

However, an editor must look at every word. If you are editing yourself, you need to do the same thing. One way to force yourself to do this is to edit out loud. 

This is one of the oldest tricks in the book, but it is still a good one. Notice what happened when you began to read the words in the triangle one at a time aloud. Suddenly, you saw the extra "the." 

Reading your text out loud takes time. It is also tiring. So, you need to take frequent breaks and have some water handy. And I mean water, not soda, coffee, tea or energy drinks. You need hydration not caffeine and sugar. Many beverages, even "healthy" ones like orange juice, have ingredients that can irritate your vocal chords. Stick to water. 

Try not to read out loud for more than 15 minutes before taking a break. If you have to, set a timer. 

A variation on this idea is to listen to your manuscript. There are many good screen reader programs. Instead of going into them here. I'm going to point you to this article at How-To Geek for reviews of several, including some free ones. You can usually choose from a variety of voices. Of course, most will be fairly emotionless. That is a good thing. That type of flat computer pitch keeps the focus on the words. 

A third alternative is to combine the two. Read the manuscript quickly into a recorder. Then listen to the recording while editing the piece. This way you get a feel for the writing by both speaking it and listening to it. 

Yes, it takes time. I told you at the outset that you can edit yourself. However, I never told you it would be easy.