read like a writer | Throwing Up Words

A few more hints for you as you work this next year, getting ready for WIFYR.

Here’s a great way to self-edit. After those pages are done, here are a few steps that will help you catch a lot of bad writing, confused writing, icky writing.
1. Read your manuscript, silently, on the screen. Make appropriate changes.
2. Read your manuscript, out loud, on the screen. Make appropriate changes.
3. Print your manuscript. Read silently. Make appropriate changes.
4. Print your manuscript. Read out loud. Make appropriate changes.
5. Have someone read your work for you, making appropriate suggestions.
6. Have someone read your work, out loud, to you. Now you can hear if someone stumbles, questions, worries or wonders over something.
Study how the very best writers do it. When you read, read like a writer, with a pen in your hand, making notes in the margins of books. Look at voice, how a writer twists the plot or comes up with new description. Mark it all. Learn from it all.
Watch your body parts. Rolling eyes, shrugging shoulders, standing up and sitting down etc etc etc. Some things just don’t need too much description. That said, I love the idea of comparing a kid and a flamingo. Don’t ask me why.
Write your heart. If you do, you will write truth. And there is something lovely or ugly or hilarious or frightening etc about truth.
I am a William Zinsser fan, owning several of his books on craft. Here are ten tips I found online. http://www.openculture.com/2012/04/ray_bradbury_gives_12_pieces_of_writing_advice_to_young_authors_2001.html