the craft. selecting work for a reading.
As a writer starting out, we may not be familiar with many terms that are frequently used in publishing and general writing circles. A reading event feels like one of those terms that can feel big and intimidating when you’re a writer still in the process of finding their voice. But rest assured, reading events are such a supportive environment and can be helpful in your writing process.
This past week, AWP took place here in Los Angeles and there was no shortage of readings. Every night featured multiple gatherings of writers and fans alike all there for the same purpose of hearing from some of their favorite writers.
I had the privilege of attending Empty Trash hosted by Greg Mania and Jen Winston at the Semi-Tropic on Thursday night. I heard pieces from Mahogany L. Browne, Deesha Philyaw, Celia Laskey, Jasmin Iolani Hakes, Diane Marie Brown, and a host of others. One thing that’s always present no matter how great of a writer you are, is nerves. We all get them. But as soon as these writers opened their mouths, the crowd was in, excited to hear words from the notebook pages of their colleagues and faves.
One of the things I love about reading is seeing how other people react to your words. It’s real time feedback which can be equal parts exhilarating and terrifying. I always encourage writers in their revision process to read their book aloud to themselves. It can seem like a daunting task for sure, but I’ve found that there are simple things my brain only catches when it hears the words and not simply when I read them. Reading to others may help you work through some clunky sentences or pacing issues within your work in progress.
But one of the most daunting tasks is choosing what to read, and it’s all about the selection. How do you narrow down your work in progress to 5-7 minutes which seems to be the sweet spot before people’s eyes start glazing over? Here are some things I normally consider:
Pick a scene that’s as actionable as possible. I don’t want to spend my time reading a piece that’s solely introspective. Unless it’s just wildly funny or otherwise engaging, I want something to be happening so that the audience feels like they’re in it with the character.
I also think it’s important to find a scene that has an easy context to explain. You don’t want to have to give a long dissertation before you start reading. Attention spans, people! They’re not what they used to be. So when selecting a piece, make sure it can be explained as concisely as possible to lead into the material.
You can rarely go wrong with a spicy scene. Unless you’re easily embarrassed like I am. Audiences seem to be into those intimate moments between two characters. If you are on the mid-steam side of things, maybe you’ll want to read about two characters meeting for the first time.
Read with confidence even if you’re dying inside internally. The best performances I’ve seen haven’t been all about having the most profound poetry or prose. Sometimes it’s their command of the room. Just taking a few deep breaths so your voice doesn’t shake before you begin can do wonders. Or hit the wonder woman pose (hands on hips, feet hips-width apart) for a moment before you join the Zoom or walk onto the stage. At a time, public speaking was like the top fear in America. A lot has changed about how scary this place can be, but it’s still a big fear for many of us. However, the audience doesn’t have to know how scared you are.
And lastly, no spoilers! You always want to read something that will intrigue the audience without giving too much away. Most often, you want the people in the audience to pick up a book or buy that collection of essays, so you want to leave them intrigued enough to do so.
Reading is such a regular part of the writing experience. If you’ve never been to a workshop or fellowship or residency, I don’t want you to feel intimidated. Writers do this all the time, and what better place to start to sharpen your reading than a supportive environment like this one?
It can truly be a rewarding experience when your joke lands just the right way, or you hear the crowd audibly sigh at a particular point of tension. There is a connection that happens when we hear the words of a writer in their own voice, and I encourage you to get out there and try it some time. Maybe you’ll sign up to be a part of our next WIP reading? In the interim, I hope you’ll join us for a spectacular evening virtually on May 8 as we hear from our special guest Diane Marie Brown, author of Black Candle Women and members of the Permission Granted community Milan Harper and Ciatta-Mae Stubblefield.
We’re thrilled to bring you this virtual event supported in part by Poets & Writers. See you there?
Writing Opportunities
Hedgebrook is a nonprofit organization serving women-identified writers. Their retreat program is located on Whidbey Island near Seattle where writers come to write, rejuvenate and be in community with each other. Hedgebrook welcomes all women-identified writers representing diversity in citizenship status, nationality, current place of residence, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, trans* identity, age, disability, professional experience, and economic resources. (Closes Apr. 14)
To Be Read
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