How to transform your writing into beautiful magic

Published on March 14, 2018April 5, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell13 Comments

I’m not talking about witches and warlocks. Nor, voodoo, potions, or card tricks.

Deception TV Show — Photo curtsey of IMBD

I’m talking about rhythm that unlocks magic in a story.

Makes you want to dance.

Every story has a rhythm. A story can stop and stutter like a car running out of gas. Or purr along like a smooth luxury car, as the rider enjoys the view. Or take your breath away thrilling you with the speed and power of a race car.

Which type of rhythm describes your story?

How a story flows, transforming words into poetry. Lyrical writing produces a rich, layered, evocative, and beautiful story. Rhythm creates and connects emotion to your reader.

WAIT. Don’t stop reading. NOT talking poetry or song lyrics. I’m talking musical storytelling.

About writing a story that moves the reader on a deep, emotional level. Words with musical magic. To write a story that takes my breath away with images and movement. That’s my goal.

So far here’s what I’ve learned about writing with rhythm:

The brain loves music.
Readers recognize rhythm in a story.
Creates a mood.
Pace determines rhythm.
Repetition is effective.
Avoid purple prose. (too many adjectives)
Vary sentence length.
Rhythm makes words dance on the page.
Use soft and hard sounds.
Tension and release, add rhythm to a scene.
Write with your ear. Listen for music in the words.
To be, is, and was suck the music out of the sentence. Substitute with verbs.
Adjectives next to nouns sound better than a preposition.
Music can help. So, I’m gonna listen to more music.

One day, I hope to write something worth remembering. Words that transform the reader and leave them wanting more.

What about you? Do you write with rhythm?

Have you ever thought about the rhythm of a story?

Do you have a tip to help me add beautiful, magical rhythm to my words?

Want to read more about rhythm writing? Check out the articles below.

Rhythm in Writing: How to Make Your Words Swing and Swirl by Henneke

5 Tips About Writing with Rhythm By Mark Nichol

Does Your Writing Have Rhythm? By Jami Gold

Choose words for sound. Improve your Alice Effect By Jack Hamann

Poetry: Making Music with Words by Melissa Donovan

I HOPE YOU TAKE A MINUTE AND FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA, JUST CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW. I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Pinterest, Stumbleupon

Do you think music inspires you when you write?

Published on October 5, 2017October 5, 2017 by Jean M. Cogdell24 Comments

Or do you feel as to if the sound of music distracts you from your project?

For me, music is a distraction.

However, I’ve read a lot of articles from many writers about how music can set the tone and mood for their story.

Today one such post caught my eye and I thought maybe, just maybe I’m missing out on an important writing tool.

Read and tell me what you think.

8 Styles of Music to Help You Focus While You Write by DANA SITAR

I love music, country music is my favorite, although I’ve been known to listen to all types. From Bach to Jay-Z with lots of Willie Nelson and Jimmy Buffet in the mix. Yeah, my taste run wide. All depends on my mood at the moment, and of course the song.

Oh, one exception might be polka. Meh, not a fan.

So, after reading this post I began to think maybe, you who enjoy writing to music are on to something.

Writing with Music Issues:

Dance music. Tempted to dance instead of writing. Did I mention I love Country/Western?
Oldies. Drifting down memory, lane not good for writing a murder mystery. Love the Beatles. See, very eclectic.
Soundtrack. Now, this has possibilities. Will have to give this idea consideration.
Folk, Pop. See #1.
Jazz or Classical. Time for a nice glass of Rose on the back porch. So easy to procrastinate.
Electronic. Never considered this type of music. But I’m gonna say it is close to Polka on my scale.
Music in a foreign language. Ooh-la-la. Dim the lights and pour the champagne. No writing tonight.
Video Game or Movie Soundtracks. Yes! This is a keeper and great links.
Ambient Noise. Nope. I’ll be drooling on my laptop. Noise machines are what we use for the grandkids to help them sleep.

Somehow I ended up with one more than Dana but you get the idea.

What I want to know is does music help your writing? Or do you find it another avenue for procrastination?

Do you write more, or less, when the room is filled with music?

What is your favorite musical style to write by?

Let me know which works for you. I’m really interested.

You can always stop by my other locations and say “hey!” I’ll leave a light on.

OR CLICK THE “WRITE ME” TAB AND SEND ME AN EMAIL.

How does your writing grow?

Published on November 6, 2014November 6, 2014 by Jean M. Cogdell3 Comments

How do you write?

In peace and quiet?

With lots of noise?

From kids and toys?

A minute here a minute there?

Or sit all day and merely stare?

Do your fingers type for hours on end?

Or peck out a word every now and then?

How do you write?

Me? I prefer peace and quiet. When doing dishes give me a Country Music song to get the job done, but as for writing, I need quiet to hear my characters speak. I wish I could write for hours on end, but my life is probably much like yours, so I write when I can. A line here and a line there.

Does the love of words inspire you?

Poetry is one of the most beautiful forms of writing, but as you can see, not my talent. I wish it were. However, words do inspire me. Whether a limerick, headline in a newspaper, spoken by a child or written in a good thriller, I love them all.

Words inspire me when appearing on a blank page, as if by magic, one letter at a time they form a sentence. The sentences soon become paragraphs and before long a story fills the page.

What else would you call it but magic?

Not the magic of secret spells or potions but of stories produced from thin air and plucked from my crowded mind.

The fun part is grasping the words and throwing them at the page. The hard part is rearranging them into an interesting work worthy of a reader’s time. So that’s my goal. To write something worth reading.

Thanks for listening to my rambles today. I need to find some order for all the words floating around in my gray matter. Sometimes a little rambling helps.

Talk to me.

Leave a comment about how you manage to capture words, producing your stories, finding inspiration and keeping the magic alive.

Waltz Across Texas

Published on August 2, 2014August 2, 2014 by Jean M. Cogdell9 Comments

Waltz Across Texas

I’d never planned to stop dancing to the music. The music I loved, but life happened.

A whiff of sawdust, the twang of a guitar or the taste of a cold beer and I’d long for another place another time. Long to recapture that which was lost, but I’d waited too late.

Or so I’d thought, until last night when in your arms, safe and secure, the years fell away, music filled the air and we waltzed across time.

This was my contribution to Lillie McFerrin Writes Five Sentence Fiction

Five Sentence Fiction – Secure

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word.

The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This week’s word: SECURE