Levels of Writing: Sounds

I have said in the past, "Writing is not a simple matter. It exists on several levels, as small as words and as large as ideas of life and the world around us. Every level has its own set of lessons and tools to learn. If you want to become a better writer, you need to learn all the tools you can at every level." It doesn't seem fair to say you need to learn the tools, but not help you learn, so I am going to write a post for each of the levels.

As a focus, I want to start with the smallest level and work my way up. Originally, I had made the smallest unit be words. I was tempted to do that here; words are the atoms from which writing is comprised. And much as the atom can be split, so too can the word. As such, I am beginning this series with sounds.

On the surface, sounds are not a part of writing. Writing is a silent activity and reading is, too. Writing and speech are different beasts with different techniques and nuances. This is true in part, but not completely. No matter how different writing and speaking are, they are inextricably linked. Writing is the physical representation of sound.

We write things that we would normally say. The fact that we write it simply means that more people have access to it and that it lasts longer. As such, the sounds of our words are important.

When I write, I am speaking. Sometimes it is out loud and sometimes it is in my head. In any case, writing is not a silent activity. I read in the same fashion. I either speak as I read (soft enough to not be heard) or I say the words in my head. It is the only way I can really comprehend what I'm reading.

The most important reason to be aware of sound is understanding. When a sentence is clunky, I trip over it. It makes me stop to reread it and try to understand what is being said. The loss of flow, or complete lack thereof, will eventually be enough to turn people away from reading.

Sound also has an aesthetic quality to it. A smooth, silky set of sounds soothes the soul. Sharp and pounding sounds wake up readers. The combination of soft and sharp, bright and dull, high and low, all help create a particular hue. When you wish to make a particular shade, you will have the ability to do so.

The best advice I can give is to listen to everything. Listen to normal people talking. Listen to great speakers delivering their speeches. Listen to music. Don't focus on what is being said, but how it is being said. Listen to the rise a fall, the speed up and slow down, the set-up and the punch.

On top of that, learn your vocabulary. There are a great number of words that people just don't know. Maybe they've never come across it, but maybe they just haven't heard it in forever. Regardless, the right word always conveys its meaning, partly because of its sounds. My favorite example is the word 'seething'.

There is not much more I can say on the subject, only because it can't be taught. The principles must be internalized, which can only come from personal experience. There are too many specifics to cover them all. You would have to study every word in the language. And as we will see, words have enough complexity to them.