Hey Reader,

Welcome to the second issue of A Way with Words, a weekly newsletter where I provide writing and editing tips to help you create clear, coherent, and compelling content. If this newsletter was forwarded to you, subscribe here to get the next edition in your inbox.

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How to make your writing sing

Have you ever read a sentence or piece that made you tingle with delight?

The words flowed seamlessly and had a lyrical quality that made you think, “This feels like poetry.”

Except you weren’t reading poetry. Maybe it was someone’s essay on quitting their job to protect their mental health. Or a blog post on how to choose a honeymoon destination.

Good writing, whatever the genre, sings.

It has a beautiful rhythm that rises and falls with energy and ease, drawing the reader in.

So how do you create a smooth rhythm that makes your writing engaging and enjoyable?

Vary the length of your sentences

Too many consecutive sentences of similar length can make your writing flat and boring.

Writers hardly write many short sentences in succession. But long ones? They scatter them like confetti.

To create an interesting rhythm, alternate between long and short sentences. Honestly, there's no better explanation than Gary Provost's:

Your first draft will inevitably contain many consecutive long sentences because you're unloading your thoughts and ideas. So, the editing stage is where you snip, snip, snip until you have a rhythmic variety of sentences.

Choose vigorous words

Not all words are created equal. Some words are stronger and livelier than others, even though they have the same meaning. Consider "cut" and "slash"; "peaceful" and "serene"; "like" and "relish"; "set" and "array" — they are synonyms, but the second words are more vivid and sonorous (please tell me you agree).

I can't count the number of times I've looked up synonyms of words so that I can use a more lyrical or powerful alternative (thesauruses are everything!)

This advice is particularly helpful for verb choices. Verbs are the life force of sentences, and strong verbs can elevate the rhythm of a sentence. Here's an excellent list of strong verbs you can infuse your writing with.

A note of warning: make sure the words you choose fit the context and suit your audience. Also, "vigorous" doesn't necessarily mean "fancy big words".

Use punctuation marks strategically

A major component of rhythm is the use of silence or pauses, and punctuation marks achieve that effect in prose. The comma and the period are the most popular punctuation marks for signaling pauses, but there are two other marks you can use to create a compelling cadence: the semicolon and the em dash.

Many writers think semicolons are needless and they prefer using full stops. But using a full stop instead of a semicolon can lead to choppy sentences. Semicolons help you string connected ideas together in a seamless way.

Consider this quote by John Kennedy:

Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.

Now separate the clauses with a full stop:

Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.

The first sentence undoubtedly has a better flow.

Also, when you are emphasizing a point or providing additional information, the em dash can be more effective than the comma for creating a smooth and natural flow.

For example:

GREAT: Project management — whether for small or large teams — requires effective communication and coordination skills.

MEH: Project management, whether for small or large teams, requires effective communication and coordination skills.

Use literary devices

Poets use literary devices like alliteration and repetition, among others, to create pleasing rhythmic patterns. And you can use these devices to craft rhythmic prose too.

Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. I loved alliteration when I used to write poetry (you can read old poems on my abandoned blog when you're bored). And I still use it occasionally in prose — for example, "create a compelling cadence" in the previous section.

You can also repeat certain words, especially in long sentences. For example, "Women are not safe — not in their homes, not in their schools, not in their churches." Repeating "not in their" creates a lovely rhythm.

Another useful device is the Rule of Three. This rule states that a group of three words or phrases is more rhythmic and memorable than a group of two or four (or more).

On the landing page for my self-editing checklist, I say, "Ready to transform your rough first draft to a clear, coherent, and compelling final draft?" (Told you I like alliteration)

Imagine if I had said, "Ready to transform your rough first draft to a clear, coherent, engaging, memorable, and valuable final draft?" Yeah, doesn't have a nice ring to it. It's also tedious to read.

Use parallel construction

When writing a series of words, phrases, or clauses, make sure they have the same grammatical structure. This consistency makes your writing rhythmic and clear.

For example:

"High-quality content is informative, relevant, and engages your audience."

The first two elements in that series are adjectives but the last element breaks the flow because it starts with a verb. To make the sentence parallel, change "engages your audience" to an adjective, "engaging".

How do you develop an ear for rhythm and flow?

It boils down to two things:

1. Read your work aloud. Hearing the words helps you detect awkward sentences that disrupt the flow of your writing like speed bumps. (Confession: I don't follow this advice much because the voice in my head does the job)
2. Pay attention to the rhythm when you read pieces by accomplished writers. How did they use punctuation marks to control the pacing and flow? How have they varied sentence length? What literary devices did they use for a melodic effect?
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Creating a rhythmic flow in your writing may seem unimportant. But your readers don't just read with their eyes; they hear the words in their heads. And a pleasant cadence can be the difference between dropping off after reading a few paragraphs or reading to the end.

Good writing sings. Make music with your words.

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With love and semicolons,

Oluwadunni