Writing is a private matter done silently with pen or
computer. Reading out loud is for children's bedtime
stories.
If you agree with that, you'd better climb out of that
garret and look around. Today's writers are often
called upon to read their works out loud in public.
Once published, readings follow as a necessary part of
publicizing a book. Whether published or not, reading
one's works aloud is often required for classes and
critique groups. Meanwhile, there's the Open Mic.
We tend to associate open mics with musicians, but they
are also for writers. Hosted by writing groups, arts
associations, and libraries, open mics offer an
opportunity to practice reading work out loud, give
writers exposure they would otherwise miss, and give
them a chance to try out their work on live listeners.
Do the people in the audience laugh where you think
it's funny and lean forward in anticipation where you
believe it's suspenseful, or they doze and talk among
themselves?
It is also amazing how reading a your work to an audience
makes every little mistake pop out at you as if it were
lit up with colored lights. Suddenly you know exactly
what works and what doesn't.
Reading at an open mic might seem scary, but once you
have attended a few, you will realize that there are
always people who don't write or read nearly as well as
you do. Always.
As one emcee at our local open mics used to say, those
five or ten minutes at the podium can either seem
eternal to both reader and listener or fly by so
quickly that everyone wants more. What does it take to
be one of the readers people enjoy? Here are some tips:
Don't show up with your notebook and start flipping
through pages, making the audience wait while you
decide what to read. Learn the requirements ahead of
time and practice. Read likely pieces out loud at home,
listening for rhythm, alliteration, pacing and
suspense. Look out for tongue-twisters that sound
clever on the page but defy the human tongue. Choose
work that lends itself to performance rather than deep,
dense, thoughtful writing that requires slow, silent
study.
Don't read part of a longer work unless it makes sense
on its own. No matter how carefully you try to
summarize a 300-page novel, listing all the plot twists
and characters, most listeners will lose track and tune
out.
Time yourself. It's all right to run a bit short, but
never try to squeeze a 12-minute piece into a 10-minute
reading. Most moderators will stop you mid-sentence
when your time is up. Even if they don't, the other
readers will resent you for hogging their time.
Make a copy that you can read from a podium in dim
light. If you need to print it out in 14 or 16-point
type, do it. If you need reading glasses, use them.
Take some water with you to combat sudden attacks of
dry mouth.
Read at a reasonable pace, neither so slowly that
listeners lose interest, nor so quickly that they can't
keep up. The tendency when nervous is to speed through
the words. Fight it. Take a breath. Write the words
"Slow down!" at the top of every page. Make use of
pauses to let your words sink in. As they say in music,
the rests are as important as the notes.
Avoid reading in a monotone. Think "bedtime story."
This isn't just reading; it's a performance. Some of
the best readers I know are the mothers and
grandmothers who have been reading stories to children
for years. Don't be afraid to use different voices and
expressions or even to sing a line or two if the story
calls for it. Practice so you know where to make your
voice louder or softer, deeper or higher.
Be confident. Fake it if necessary. Stage fright will
convince you that whatever you have written is garbage,
even if you thought it was brilliant when you picked it
out at home. That's just your nerves talking. It's
still a good piece.
Make no apologies. Do not tell the audience this isn't
very good, it isn't finished, it's just a rough draft.
If it really isn't ready, read something else.
Likewise, don't say a word about being nervous or
having a cold or any other excuse. Just read it.
Bring an extra copy. You never know what might happen.
Last year at a local open mic, I read an opinion piece
about TV coverage of the Iraq war. A radio commentator
in the audience came up to me afterwards and asked for
a copy. The next day, he read the whole thing on his
radio show. I was thrilled to hear my name and my words
on the air.
Open mics are a great chance to try out your works and
bond with other writers. If you can't find one in your
town, start one. Imagine: You hear your name, the
applause crackles, you walk into the spotlight, unfold
your manuscript and begin, "Once upon a time . . . "
Copyright 2005 Sue Fagalde Lick
About the Author: SUE FAGALDE LICK is a former newspaper editor turned full-time freelance writer. She has published four books, countless articles and many poems and stories. She teaches writing workshops online and at Oregon Coast Community College. Visit her web site at http://www.suelick.com.
Step Up to the Open Mic
