This writing tip will not only help make your writing more ‘musical’ but will also help with pace, driving the reading of your text forward through careful word positioning.
Cadence – create this by changing the sentence structure. Check out the Before and After sentences underneath. What is the most powerful word/phrase in your sentence? Place this at the end rather than the middle. It will allow you to leapfrog to your next sentence and carry your reader forward too.
This short story was written as an exercise in the Camera Technique, a writing technique where you change the focus from close up to far away (or vice versa)…
Stars on the walls. They had six petals. Magen Davids stretched out. Far above, between the buildings the sky; no sunshine, just grey. She sat there, bundled in her waterproof jacket with her knapsack. She would have her drink later at morning interval and she would see what Daddy had put there for her snack. Her Mummy hadn’t been at home to kiss her goodbye this morning. Just Daddy hurried her to the bus and took her to kindergarten with him but kindergarten wasn’t open. Read the rest of this entry »
The Famous Five – one of the most powerful tools for any writer – the five senses.
If you want to engage your reader, ensure you’ve engaged the five senses – smell, taste, touch, seeing, hearing. I like to go one better and use the sixth sense too whenever possible. Read the rest of this entry »
You know how it is at the end of the day. In winter especially. Night comes early and already closes in on your way home…well, for some of us anyway. You’re tired from figures on the computer screen, words on Windows, verbiage from the fibreglass optics or some other sort of magical conveyance – satelite in space, whatever.
Fatigue rules. That’s the leader into it I’m sure. Anyhow that’s how Melanie came to see it. She twisted the wheel, slid sideways, domino effect. Read the rest of this entry »
Dank and crumbling, the wall offered no comfort to Shayenne’s cheek hard up against it. The darkness pressed like a tangible blindfold across her eyes. Scents of mouldy decay clustered in her nostrils. A faint repetitive plink told her water pooled beneath a dripping leak from some pipe above. Shayenne retained her wallpaper grip. They would come. Read the rest of this entry »
