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Have you got rhythm?

De-dum de-dum de-dum de-dum, de-deum de-dum de-dum de-dum. De-dum de-dum de-dum de-dum, de-deum de-dum de-dum de-dum…

Having several consecutive sentences the same length can really suck the life and pace out of your writing. It’s like talking in monotone. That’s why rhythm is so important when you write.

Of course, it needs to complement your subject matter. If you’re writing about something serious – say, safety valves on oil rigs – best stick to the facts and not be too lively or rhythmic.

So how do you get rhythm?

Like anything, you practice, till it ‘feels’ right. The rhythm in the example below could work for an advert, but is probably too frivolous and informal for a corporate brochure or annual report.

A short first sentence. This helps grab the reader’s attention, while your second sentence builds on what your first says. Now you can use a longer third sentence that not only supports and substantiates the first two sentences, but also lines you up for a pithy ending. There, you’ve got rhythm.