I don’t enjoy hearing my own voice–even if it’s just audio, but especially on video. I would wager that most people feel much the same way. As a result, I try to avoid hearing my own voice because all I can think is “How can anyone stand to listen to me talk?” Actually, I think that a lot anyway.
So it’s no surprise that I am not a fan of reading my own writing out loud. It’s bad enough that I have to pore over it anyway, but doing so audibly is the proverbial hot wing sauce in the newly-shaven face. Or the salt in the wound…you like salt, I like hot wings.
I have, however, begun reading “The Call of Chaos” to myself, out loud. No matter how proud I am of this book and its successor, it is still relatively unpleasant. Oh, and I’m not sure anyone else in Starbucks appreciated me reading to myself. (Don’t worry, I actually read it really quietly…with headphones on…so maybe not as quietly as I thought?)
In summary: reading my stuff out loud: bad. Getting to this stage of the writing process: good.
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