Hearing is Believing

25 Dec Hearing is Believing

An article in the NY Times: How the Spoken Word Shapes the Written Word by Sarah Barr details how journalists and editors read their columns aloud before publication. They extolled this method to determine sentence length, gaps in logic, superfluous adverbs (very, really) and more.

For over nineteen years, our Eloqui Tip of the Week follows the same process every week: Deborah or David pull something of interest from the headlines, a nature outing, or a training.

After they identify the gist and link to speaking, David writes a draft. Then Deborah edits it, has David read it aloud, and makes any final revisions. Because Deborah was a film and TV director, she needs to hear the lines for meter, grammar, and sense. David records books for Audible, so his reading reveals any flaws. Finally, Deborah posts the tip on Constant Contact, as well as our websites.

When you first compose a presentation, read it aloud. Keep the tone conversational and in your own voice. Then, rehearse out loud (not in your head) which will prep you for the eventual delivery. And since it’s the holiday season, consider writing pieces on what you appreciate about specific family members, friends or colleagues. Read them aloud to the recipients. It’s a precious gift, providing joy to the giver and receiver.