Reading for groups
I went to a Women’s Writing Group where they wanted me to read some of my book, talk with them about writing and publishing, and sign some copies for them. I was nervous about the reading. I wanted to read a section of the book that demonstrated the types of scenes typical to the book, had some emotional impact, would draw them in, and introduce my cast of characters.
Even though I wrote the book and have read it many, many times, I still felt the need to practice. Who wouldn’t? Reading in front of a group is not the same as reading in your head. How do I sound? So the only way to find out if I was doing it properly was to read it aloud, and to record it.
I did learn that I needed to slow down. I read way too fast. The reading was successful and a great experience.
The recording was a great exercise though, in timing, emotion, and as my publishers said after seeing the video, “let your passion show through.” So while this isn’t perfect (afterall, it’s the learning recording, so it’s a little too fast and perhaps not heartfelt enough), Here’s the recording:
A week later, I found myself in a classroom of 3rd graders. We talked about writing and publishing as well. I showed them how to edit, by writing a chapter of a Middle Grade book and doing redlines on it. I passed them around the class for all to see. We talked about the tools writers use and the tools editors use being the same but using them differently. I read to them as well. In some ways, the children were more challenging, than the women the week previously. I mean, all those raised hands and so many ideas just brimming. Everyone wanted to be heard and they all wanted to express something – sometimes entirely irrelevant somethings, but wanted to express it nonetheless.
Both experiences were tremendously rewarding. While the nerves got me both times before walking into the room where strangers’ eyes would look to either entertain or enlighten them, once I was in my place and going, all was well.
I’ll post pictures from the 3rd grade class in my next post. I used props!
