What I Learned from Sentences
People read sentences all the time; they are read in memos for work, novels for entertainment or on signs to help people navigate themselves. They can explain a concept, paint the image of a scene, tell a story or give news. After being read, sentences are often not thought about past the information they provide. When given a sentence, the average person asks, “What does it say?” This is a question I have always asked as a reader, but as I become more like a writer I am asking sentences questions that will improve my writing. How is it said? Why is it said? Who was it meant to be said to? Are there hidden meanings within? From this inquisition paired with close observation I have learned a little about what makes a good sentence so I can construct my own.
The first thing that caught my eye as I started to read was the structure of sentences within texts. There were sentences of different lengths interwoven together. I saw shorter phrases were great at delivering emphasis or a simple message. The mid-length clauses linked other sentences together so there was flow when the sentences were read. The longer sentences can seem long and bulky if there are too many or if they are out of place, but if they are well-constructed they can build a tense and deliver a climax. Pieces of writing have good sentence structure when there is a balanced mix of short, medium and long sentences.
The next thing I perceived were the points of view the author chose to use, if the sentence was written in first, second or third person. Different points of view can be useful because it can make writing appear conversational. Readers will stay more interested and it helps a piece not be stagnant. The first and second person view are more personal for readers as well, so they are more likely to be invested what is written. The use of active and passive voice is another thing I had seen. What I learned from this is that the subject of a sentence can be hidden or emphasized depending on what I want my audience to focus on.
Pieces of writing are often a response to a question, but throughout the pieces I read I frequently saw questions within the text. I thought about why they might be used by asking myself how I felt when I read one. I answered that a well-placed rhetorical or serious question can provoke thought and inspire more ideas than a paper could ever relay.
Although I knew the importance of word choice and word play in writing, looking at sentences under scrutiny has reinforced and strengthened its usefulness. Words and phrases can have many different meanings. Sometimes these meanings can only be defined or articulated upon close reading in context. This requires more critical thought to create compared to simple sentences, but they add layers of depth and complexity that could not be achieved otherwise.
Clearly there are many tools, styles and techniques that writers have at their disposal when they craft sentences. Good writers will often place incorporate several of these techniques in their sentences to improve their quality. One reoccurring theme I continue to find throughout these pieces of sentences is that they are designed for the reader, but their implement is at the discretion of the writer. Writers choose how they want people to read and perceive their writing. The key is to keep your audience reading.
