Science Fiction Writer
ROBERT J. SAWYER
Hugo and Nebula Winner

HOME • MENU • Search:

First published in the November 1992 issue of
Alouette: The Newsletter of the Canadian Region of SFWA

Copyright © 1992 by Robert J. Sawyer
All Rights Reserved

Most science-fiction writers get called on from time to time to do readings of their work at conventions or public libraries. I've done a couple of dozen readings over the years; here are a few things I've learned. [As of April 2000, my public-reading count was up to over 150.]

First, it's a lot easier to read from a printout designed specifically for reading. I make a special printout in big type (I use 18-point Times Roman on 27-point leading). The advantages: (1) fewer words per page mean you're less likely to lose your place; (2) if you're reading from a podium, you can place the pages on the podium and read them easily without having to squint. Also, if you're so inclined, you can give the printout away as a souvenir to someone in the audience at the end — this is a little trick I picked up from S. M. Stirling; it makes for one happy fan. (Second choice: read from a regular manuscript, which at least keeps your hands free for gesturing. Last choice: read from the printed book.)

I always tell people how long the reading will be: "This is the first chapter, and it will take about thirteen minutes." Reason: there will be people in your audience who don't want to be there (dragged out to your reading by their significant others, etc.). I find letting 'em know how long it will take substantially cuts down on the "when will this be over?" shuffling.

Read dramatically, and don't be afraid to change volume. Nothing is more dynamic in a reading than the reader suddenly shouting an exclamation. Conversely, the absolute best reading I ever did was one that ended with the scene from my novel Golden Fleece in which JASON, the computer from hell, was trying to sleep-teach a human being into feeling guilty. I read the narration in a normal voice, but for the words JASON was whispering through the headboard speakers I actually did lower my voice to a whisper (albeit a stage whisper, so people could hear it in the back — it helps, by the way, to have a microphone if the audience is going to be more than a dozen or so people). The room was absolutely still, hanging on every word.

Make eye contact. Know your work well enough so that you don't have to be constantly looking at your manuscript. Look at your audience — indeed, at specific people in your audience (not just generally out at the room).

Don't be afraid to make subtle additions or changes for the sake of the reading. On a printed page, the alternation of speakers may be clear because of the way you've done paragraphing. If you have to add in a "Smith said," do so — but determine this when you rehearse the piece. Likewise, consider editing out unnecessary exposition: you may have cleverly put stuff into the scene you happen to be reading that doesn't become relevant until later in the book, but if the audience for the reading doesn't need to know it, think about chopping it out.

Old radio-person's trick: when changing pages in your manuscript, simply slide them from the to-be-read pile to the already-read pile. Don't bother flipping them over. Yes, when done, your story will be in reverse order, but you can re-collate the pages afterwards. The point is to cut down on paper noise. Also, doing it this way you actually have two pages face up on the podium at once — the one you're just finishing and the one you're about to begin. That lets you clearly see the transition over the page break, so your reading doesn't falter as you switch pages.

Take business cards to your reading. If you read well, someone may come up to you at the end and ask you if you'd be available to read at another venue, or to talk to a class or to a conference. Having a card makes it easy for them to get in touch with you later.

Here's a chart I've worked out to tell me how long it will take to read a piece out loud. This is based on actual timings of my own readings, with a certain amount of performance and flourish, and assumes a reading speed of 179 words per minute:

 ------------------------------------------------------------------
 | Words  Min | Words  Min | Words  Min | Words  Min | Words  Min |
 ------------------------------------------------------------------
 |   500   3  |  2500  14  |  4500  25  |  6500  36  |  8500  47  |
 |   600   3  |  2600  15  |  4600  26  |  6600  37  |  8600  48  |
 |   700   4  |  2700  15  |  4700  26  |  6700  37  |  8700  49  |
 |   800   4  |  2800  16  |  4800  27  |  6800  38  |  8800  49  |
 |   900   5  |  2900  16  |  4900  27  |  6900  39  |  8900  50  |
 |  1000   6  |  3000  17  |  5000  28  |  7000  39  |  9000  50  |
 |  1100   6  |  3100  17  |  5100  28  |  7100  40  |  9100  51  |
 |  1200   7  |  3200  18  |  5200  29  |  7200  40  |  9200  51  |
 |  1300   7  |  3300  18  |  5300  30  |  7300  41  |  9300  52  |
 |  1400   8  |  3400  19  |  5400  30  |  7400  41  |  9400  53  |
 |  1500   8  |  3500  20  |  5500  31  |  7500  42  |  9500  53  |
 |  1600   9  |  3600  20  |  5600  31  |  7600  42  |  9600  54  |
 |  1700   9  |  3700  21  |  5700  32  |  7700  43  |  9700  54  |
 |  1800  10  |  3800  21  |  5800  32  |  7800  44  |  9800  55  |
 |  1900  11  |  3900  22  |  5900  33  |  7900  44  |  9900  55  |
 |  2000  11  |  4000  22  |  6000  34  |  8000  45  | 10000  56  |
 |  2100  12  |  4100  23  |  6100  34  |  8100  45  |            |
 |  2200  12  |  4200  23  |  6200  35  |  8200  46  |            |
 |  2300  13  |  4300  24  |  6300  35  |  8300  46  |            |
 |  2400  13  |  4400  25  |  6400  36  |  8400  47  |            |
 ------------------------------------------------------------------

2015 update: The tips above have stood me in good stead for over 22 years now (and my public reading count is now up over 350). The one tip I'd add:

Since March 29, 2003, I've been doing my readings from a hand-held device — first a Sony Clié (Palm OS device), and more recently from an iPhone.

Make sure you don't have to scroll, but can just flick pages so that you can hold the device in one hand — makes it easier to gesticulate. Both iBooks and the Kobo app let you flip by pages, if you've converted your manuscript to ePub via Calibre.

Use big type, and you'll have so few words on the screen that you can't lose your place even when you look up to make eye-contact with the audience.

More Good Reading

Letter to Beginning Writers
Rob's "On Writing" advice columns
Manuscript-format checklist
Rob's upcoming appearances (including any teaching gigs)
Notes for the copyeditor
Essay: WordStar — A Writer's Word Processor

My Very Occasional Newsletter