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Word after word on a page can easily lull our minds into numbness.
But when we see
word
after word
on a page
suddenly we see
differently.
A few summers ago, I took a revision workshop with Linda Sue Park. What an incredible experience! One of Linda’s strategies has become a standard part of my writing practice. She asked us to take a manuscript page and break it into lines. No line could be more than five or six words. With breathing room, it became immediately clear where prose could be tightened, where words were repetitive, or where weak verbs or nouns could be strengthened.
Somehow, when the shape of the words on the page changed, I could see my writing with new eyes.
It’s a simple but powerful tool. Many, many thanks to Linda Sue Park for adding such a transformative strategy to my bag of tricks!
Try This:
- Copy a page of your manuscript into a new document.
- Break the paragraphs into short lines of no more than six words each.
- Read through and finesse the sound, rhythm and tone of your words.
- Once you’ve revised the prose in this format, put the writing back into paragraph form.
- Do a before/after comparison. What do you notice?
I’d love to hear your thoughts and insights! Share below or connect with me on Facebook or Twitter.
