Why I Listen to my Novel - Out Loud

Okay, so I was reading through my manuscript after running the spell checker. I wear headphones and listen to the computer read in that horrible robot-jerky voice as I follow along. This is why I do this, even though it takes a lot of time. And I want to cut off my ears like Van Gogh did. Those computer voices just aren't conducive for listening to 85,000 words. Seriously.

"A five-year-old Tyson and a three-year-old me played in the water, dipping our feet and slashing each other."

LOL! That should be "...sPlashing each other."


"Thy blood stained the cobbled stones."

Um, that should be "ThE blood..." Not only did it slip into first person, but all of a sudden I was speaking in this formal voice. "Thy mother has spokeneth. Go cleaneth your roometh."


"As the feeling came back into my legs and feet, I torched a long coat hanging in the corner of the closet."

Man, this girl has some serious anger issues. Hee, hee. That should be "...I toUched a long coat..."

So you see, the spell checker can't find everything. And that robotic voice is good for something. Maybe.