Michelle Tessler of Tessler Literary Agency Recommends...

Writing and revising by pen and keyboard are givens, but reading your work aloud while revising is equally valuable. Readers will likely find your writing inviting if it sounds good. Reading aloud enables you to hear if the dialogue between your characters has punch and personality, and to suss out awkward sentences that don’t flow. It will give you a sense of how fluid your storytelling is, and perhaps give you insight into whether you’re doing a good job modulating plot, scene-setting, dialogue, and character development. Note too that audio books are increasingly matching or even surpassing print sales, so it’s a worthwhile exercise to think about how your work might be consumed by ear. Another perk: You’ll get practice for author readings that might emerge down the line.

—Michelle Tessler of Tessler Literary Agency