Guess who’s back, baby! I know it’s been a minute since I’ve posted, and for that, I apologize. Life has been busy, busy, busy. All good things, though.

There is one recent life event that I’m excited to share with you all, though. On September 14^th, I had the exciting opportunity to share some of my work at The Modern Hotel’s Campfire Stories event in Boise, ID, an event hosted by the amazing Tomás Baiza and produced by the incredible Christian Winn. While I’ve read stories in front of audience’s before, something about this experience felt particularly special.

At this event, the other amazing writers and I were wined and dined. Seriously, it was so cool. The Modern Hotel covered our stay and paid for our meals and drinks the night of the event. I’ve never been a part of anything like this, and I wanted to share about my experience and what I learned.  

Read Out Loud…Even If No One is Listening

I’ve never been one to shy away from public speaking. There’s something about make an audience laugh, cry, and/or cheer that I love. Still, I was a bit nervous about reading my story in front of a bunch of strangers (and a handful of loved ones). For many writers, the stories we write (fiction or not) can be personal, meaning you have to be willing to be vulnerable. The story I wrote hit close to home in many ways, but I’m someone who’s comfortable with sharing parts of my life with others.

Though I’m pretty much an open book, I did experience quite a bit of self-doubt. Leading up to the event, I asked myself dozens of times: Am I a good writer? I think most of us experience that feeling of imposter syndrome. Sometimes to get over it, it’s a matter of accepting the fact that you do deserve the opportunities that come to you. Other times it’s a matter of working on getting better. One of the ways I did this was by reading my story out loud, be it to myself or to my husband.

I know that reading out loud is “no-duh” kind of advice, but it truly helped. I must have read the story out loud six or seven times.

Was it exhausting? Yes.

Did I get bored of reading my own story? Yes.

But it did help me find grammar and spelling errors. It helped me improve the flow of my prose. And it made reading the story a hell of a lot easier in front of others. Because I practiced reading, I knew when to change my speed and my inflection.

While you may not always have to read your work in front of a crowd, reading your work out loud is still a valuable tool to help you improve your writing and storytelling skills. Next time you’re editing, give a try.

If you haven’t subscribed, feel free to add your email so you can get more writing advice and encouragement. Next post, I’ll share more about my experience with reading at Boise’s Campfire Stories. Until then, happy writing!