I Thought of a Tip for Better Writing
From someone who’s loved writing since the 5th grade
Writing, is an art.
And in my pursuit of mastering it, I scrolled through Medium, looking for writing gems left behind by its authors.
As I did my reading, I reflected on my own process of writing. Something that had never crossed my mind before occurred to me. It was the idea of how each word carries a “weight” and how I make sure to distribute it to create what I call “balanced writing”.
I did some quick research and found that this topic already had plenty of work on it.
But isn’t there ingeniousness in coming up with it yourself?
Anyways, in this article, I’m going to talk about how you can create a balance with your own words, for a better appeal to your readers.
The Weight of Words
I mentioned previously how each word has a weight. This also applies to phrases, punctuation marks and tone. A few factors that make up this weight, in my opinion, are:
- The length of the word/sentence
- The sounds/syllables
- How advanced it is, vocabulary-wise
- The emotion attached to it (if any)
The word “intelligent” can be considered heavy, because of its length and its seemingly higher status. “Smart”, on the other hand, would be lighter, more casual.
A comma gives you a subtle pause, while an em-dash (the longer type of dash) gives a more dramatic one.
Here’s an example in action:
The potatoes were warm and cozy, while the zest was fresh and lively.
Both parts of the sentence have similar structures, containing a noun with two adjectives describing it. The sentence is organized and clear.
Or take a look at this sentence by E.B. White:
“On days when warmth is the most important need of the human heart, the kitchen is the place you can find it; it dries the wet socks, it cools the hot little brain.”
The above is another balanced sentence. The last two clauses have the same length, giving the piece a flow of rhythm.
But sometimes, we can also explore with words to show variety and comparison:
“*Rustle*.
The wilting autumnal leaves made their way onto the minor yet mounded pile of leaves next to me.”
The striking word at the beginning draws attention, enough to read the much longer sentence that follows. There is contrast between the two, creating interest and, well, curiosity, I guess.
Now, I may have swerved from the topic, but balance is essential to better writing, according to me.
You can put this into practice by reading your favorite authors’ work or your own text out loud. Look for the rhythm. See if they’re strung together harmoniously.
It’ll ensure you create a pleasing tune and make your text stand out.
Personally, I’ve been practicing balance for a while now, but rather innately. Like gut feelings. I attribute this to years of extensive reading. That’s another way to learn balance; read more.
So take this tip and use it in your work. Use it to create a symphony of words. A symphony of emotions.
Because writing, is an art.
