The Write Road: On Writing Symphonytically - Part 1

This is what I want in heaven... words to become notes and conversations to be symphonies. - Tina Turner, American singer

Read this sentence out loud: The little brown dog ate my bright red sneakers.

How did you read it? Did you read it correctly? Did you read it the same way I did and get the same meaning I got? Maybe you did and maybe you didn’t. What about the person sitting next to you? Did they read it the same way you did? In today’s communiqué, we’ll discuss how to get your words read right by writing them symphonytically.

Dang it! I think I just broke my spellchecker.

Of Little Brown Dogs and Bright Red Sneakers

[Quick note from the guy behind the keyboard: When I started writing this, things were going just fine. And then … they weren’t. So I set it aside to let the ideas gel in my head. Sometimes you’ve got to do that. Honestly, the yip and the yap inside my brain was dogging me. I don’t mind telling you this because it’s part of being a writer. I know some of my readers are just starting out. So perhaps in sharing my struggles, even though I’ve been writing since the first iRock stone tablet came out, you’ll be able to avoid some of the pitfalls and roadblocks. Even if you can’t, at least you’ll know what could be coming. I don’t mind looking the fool if it helps you grow. I care that much.]

Let’s go back to that sentence we started with:

The little brown dog ate my bright red sneakers.

I asked you to read it aloud, and I was serious. Did you?

What did it sound like? Where did you place the emphasis, if any?

You might have read it in a monotone voice. And you’d be right in reading it that way.

But …

You could have spoken emphatically on any word in the sentence and you’d be right, too.

That’s the problem with the written word. Because most people read silently to themselves—and if there is no indication of how to read it—the sentence’s voice and tone could range from a hushed whisper to outrageous declaration.

And anywhere in between.

So today’s newsletter will explain my take on what some writers call “text decoration.” It involves the use of the big three:

• Bolded text

• Italicized text

• Underlined text (although conventional internet hyperlinks make underlining problematic. I can’t underline simple text in this newsletter editor.)

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To be sure, this may be Writing 101 for you, dear reader/writer. You may already know something about text decoration.

Now, where were we? Oh, yeah …

The little brown dog ate my bright red sneakers.

To orchestrate this sentence, we’ll use italics and bold text. Now, everybody knows that italics and bold text are used to show emphasis.

In this sentence, we have two main singers: the dog and the sneakers. Let’s start with the pooch.

There are at least three ways to orchestrate the mutt:

1. The little brown dog … (not the big one)

2. The little brown dog … (not the gray one)

3. The little brown dog … (not the cat … but I have my suspicions)

There are some other combinations you might try out. But let’s turn our attention to my footwear, shall we?

1. … my bright red sneakers (showing ownership. (They’re mine, not yours)

2. … my bright red sneakers (it was the bright ones, not the faded ones)

3. … my bright red sneakers (the red sneakers, not the chartreuse sneakers)

4. … my bright red sneakers (my beloved sneakers, but not my boots)

Now, I know that all seems kind of basic. And you can probably come up with some other variations as well (we haven’t even touched “ate” yet).

But I believe you can use these two text decoration for more than just drawing the reader’s attention to certain words you feel are important.

Far more.

Most writers use bolding and italicizing to show readers how to “think” about the words. You know what I mean: this word is more important than that word because I italicized it. And Bolded phrases show more emphasis than italicized ones.

But what if you wanted your audience to actually read the text a certain way?

It’s possible by using a combination of the available “decorations” and dressing up your text for prime time.

Here’s an example. And we’ll use the little brown dog and the bright red sneakers to illustrate.

The basic sentence again: The little brown dog ate my bright red sneakers.

When presented with that sentence, how do you think your reader will, uh, read it? Answer: any way they feel like reading it.

Sure, it’s a good sentence. Nothing grammatically wrong with it.

But it’s about as savory as an unsalted cracker soaked in lukewarm milk!

Or unflavored gelatin. Yuk!

So let’s spice it up a little with some well-placed text decoration. We’ll start standing, then ramp it up to a full bore run. And in doing so, we’ll create some emotion in an otherwise emotionless sentence.

The little brown dog ate my bright red sneakers!

See how that built up some tension and emotion? We started with composure (no text decoration), added a little emotion by putting “brown dog” in italics, simmered it a bit by bolding “ate my” to emphasize the action, and then brought it to a rolling boil with a combination of both italics and bold characters.

Note, too (also … as well), that I included an exclamation mark to stir the pot a little more.

We could add an underline, perhaps under red sneakers, and really get the reader riled up!

Sadly, if your prose lives on the internet, that could be problematic, even impossible. As mentiond, underlining, for the most part, is relegated to the allegedly important task of signaling a hyperlink that will wish your reader off to parts both known and potentially unknown.

Say la vee! (That’s French … sort of, btw.)

Anyway, I encourage you to play with the concept of conducting your reader through your amazing symphonically written prose. And feel free to leave your thoughts about the concept in the comments.

You may think I’m crazy as a loon!

But you won’t know until you try.

In Part 2 of On Writing Symphonytically we’ll dig a little deeper into the idea of orchestrating your content. We’ll examine cadence, rhythm … and rhyme. We’re going to bash some really staid and time-honored rules of grammar.

It’ll be a hoot!

But before you leave, please read the public service announcement that follows. It’s particularly important if you’re new to writing, or even new to writing in the English language.

After all, before you can break any rules …

You need to know what you’re breaking.

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PSA #438.079a (Or somewhere, thereabout): As mentioned, this article will explain how I often choose to bend, and even break, some of the accepted rules of grammar. When and where I commit these grammatical crimes and misdemeanors depends, in a large part, on several factors. Some, but not all are:

• The kind or writing format of the piece. For example, I’d be quite careful in a technical document or white paper. In a blog … it’s game on!

• The channels in which the original text will appear. Print publishers can be quite picky about how you write stuff. (Although I’ve snuck in a few “criminal infractions” here and there.)

• The type of publication hosting the text. Some informal online publications will allow, even encourage, a little grammatical mischief. Those online publishers that cater to a more “sophisticated, astute” readership (in their minds, baby, in their minds) want you to walk the straight and narrow path to grammarian excellence.

But before you gracefully bend or inelegantly break said “rules of grammar,” you need to know what they are. There are so many rules that a person could write a book! This person (me) has no desire to take on that monumental task.

Fortunately, someone already has written a book on grammar rules. Someone I deeply admire and respect–Jane Straus. Here’s an excerpt from her bio in the book The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation, Twelfth Edition.

Jane Straus (1954–2011) was an educator, life coach, and best-selling author. To prepare for a job teaching English to employees of the state of California in 1975, Straus scoured the library for materials that conveyed the rules of grammar and punctuation in plain English. Finding no such resources, she wrote the rules her own way, made up exercises, ran off some copies, and hoped for the best.

The class was a hit. More and more state employees demanded that they get an equal opportunity to benefit from Straus's no-nonsense instruction in English grammar and usage. She continued to refine her materials, eventually turning them into The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation.

Kaufman, Lester; Straus, Jane. The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation (p. xxi). Wiley. Kindle Edition.

Sadly, Jane passed away on February 25, 2011 from a malignant brain tumor. But her husband and others carried on her work, updating both the book and accompanying website–Grammarbook.com—to this day.

Language and writing are always in a state of flux. I own both the 11th and 12th editions of this magnificent work in digital format and a hard copy of the 10th.

Every edition (and the website) has printable quizzes to you can test your skills and see what you’ve learned or what you need to work on.

Here’s the deal.

Pledge to me—especially if you’re a new, inexperienced writer or English is not your first language—that you’ll  check out Jane’s excellent grammar resources. Study them before you attempt to bend or break any grammar rules.

Pinky promise, okay?

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That’s all for this issue.

See you in the next issue of The Write Road!

I’m off to buy me some new sneakers. Maybe blue ones this time.

Steve M.

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