Here's how to make your writing easier to read and understand:
"Flow" is an important quality in writing. When present, it can "hook" you by making reading seem effortless — almost like a good song can hook you with a simple, catchy melody.
Making sentences flow together
Think of writing like talking. In speaking, you use different types of sentences, inflections and cadences to hold listeners' interest and help them understand. Now consider these paragraphs:
We met at the policyholder's warehouse. The meeting lasted more than an hour. The company's safety committee has a safety program in place; it isn't being implemented properly. We saw many areas where we can help. The committee seemed receptive to our ideas.
We scheduled another meeting in two weeks. I'd like your input on the company’s claims history. Can we meet next week?
All the facts are there — but do you talk like a robot? There's no flow, and the incessant start/stop structure affects readers in several ways:
•It takes more time to move through the sentences.
•The facts seem strangely disconnected.
•The writer (and the writing) seems disinterested, if not downright bored.
Now read the revised paragraphs. Notice how varying the sentence structure gives the writing a "voice" that helps you flow through the sentences and connect the ideas:
We met at the policyholder's warehouse for more than an hour. The company's safety committee has a safety program in place, but it isn’t being implemented properly. We saw many areas where we can help; the committee seemed receptive to our ideas.
As a result, we scheduled another meeting in two weeks. I'd like your input on the company's claims history; can we meet next week?
Transition words and phrases
Beginning the second paragraph with the transition phrase "as a result" helps readers understand a "cause and effect": one successful meeting leading to another. There are many transition words and phrases to link sentences and paragraphs. Here are just a few:
•Additionally
•Because
•However
•Nevertheless
•Therefore
•In other words
•In the meantime
Look at the sentences or paragraphs you're trying to connect. Does the flow seem random or jarring? Is there a point you're trying to convey that readers might miss? If so, consider using a transition. For example:
•The policyholder hasn't had a safety meeting in years. It has a decent return-to-work program.
•The policyholder hasn't had a safety meeting in years; however, it has a decent return-to-work program.
The second example doesn't just convey facts; it communicates the idea that this company is a workers' comp "mixed bag." The transition "however" — as well as the semicolon, which is a less abrupt break than the period — improves the flow and helps readers make this connection.
Michelle shares her writing tips with Pinnacol employees every month in her column "Write It Right!" Thanks Michelle for this month's tips!
