Tuesday's Tip: Repeating Beats...er, Sentences

Last time I compared sentences to music. Each sentence has a specific rhythm/beat, and when those rhythms are repeated too often, the story, despite its content, can seem monotonous.

However, repeated rhythms have their uses.

For example, when the author/narrator wants to draw attention to something specific--whether it be a moment, an emotion, or an action--a repeated beat can express that desire.

She stood at the edge of the practice ring, sword in hand. She watched. She waited. She learned.


The most common example of repeating beats is done in threes. It's also called parallelism. It can also be done in a single sentence.

Maria liked the dewy mornings, the misty mountains, and the foggy grove.


Notice how each direct object has a certain number of beats? The result is that the sentence reads like a line of poetry, with a certain pace and emphasis. If you had the desire, you could even point out the stressed and unstressed sounds.

If you're familiar with poetry, you can relate that certain rhythms express certain moods. For example, short, choppy sentences give a feeling of tension or excitement. While long, flowing sentences give more of a feeling of ease. (I know this is where some people might argue with me. I know there are exceptions!) If you consider the two examples above, what sort of feeling do they evoke? You have to admit, the first example is more likely to get your heart thumping than the second one.