The Music of the Author

The act of writing is much like riding a wave. Although it may seem strange, good writing should always feel rhythmic, soothing, and natural. When writing is good enough, it places us into a trance. We feel this trance effect in that great novel we can’t put down, or that essay that rivets us to the page. Every word is chosen carefully, and we want to see what happens next. Like a good piece of music, a great piece of writing pulls the reader into the reality of the work.

When writers refer to the concept of flow, this is what they are referring to. Flow is the sustained rhythm of a piece of writing. When there are no glaring surface errors, when the narrative feels like natural speech, when the pacing is consistent, and when one idea transitions into another seamlessly, a piece of writing will create that sense of rhythm. As a writer, you want to place your reader into that trance state.

Very often, a single grammatical error, misspelled word, or clunky phrase can take your reader out of the trance. This is a major reason why correctness is prized so highly by writers. However, by choosing your words carefully and thoughtfully, you can prevent your reader from breaking the rhythm.

This is not to say that flow depends entirely on grammatical correctness. It goes beyond that. Creating flow also involves including seamless transitions from one idea to another, using naturalistic word choice, and avoiding awkward phrasing. Maintaining a consistent tone and style of speech also plays a role in flow. For instance, if you’re using academic language through most of your paper, and one sentence drifts into casual speech for no logical reason, that decision can break the flow as well.

Most flow problems can be corrected in the editing process. Reread your work carefully and listen to the rhythm of the piece. If you learn better by listening, it may help to read the paper aloud. Look or listen for any words, phrases, or sentences that look or sound unnatural to you. Chances are, removing or rephrasing them will improve the flow of the paper.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!