I try and attend one storytelling event or book reading every week. I love reading my work out loud, and I know that reading your stories out loud in front of a happy audience (or a web video camera) can win you some die-hard fans.
If you're looking for guidance about readings, the MFA Blog has some great ideas about choosing your material. Guest blogger Anna Mendoza asks readers:
"I've found that some of my poems are better read aloud than read on paper, and vice versa. When at an open mike, should I present something that's funny and likely to be crowd-pleasing (even if it's somewhat shallow), or something that's more intellectually substantial but might be hard to get?" Read the responses here.
Some people think readings have grown too unruly, but I have to disagree. There are ten million books out there right now, gathering dust in warehouses. Why not give your book a chance to grab some new readers, and deliver a short, punchy, and dramatic reading that will make people excited about your work? (Thanks, Bookninja)
Finally, putting my money where my mouth is, here's a decidedly lo-fi, swear-word inclusive, 30-second clip of me reading one of my stories out loud...
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