Word Choice and the Logic of a Sentence

Where should a word go in a sentence? Why does one sentence follow another? What about paragraphs? And how do each of these elements serve the whole? Writing creatively is tough. We know this. But why, exactly? For one, it requires both artistry and logic: You’re telling a story but telling it in your own way. If you’re a lyrically inclined writer, it can be helpful to recognize what it is about your writing that serves your style, and what could or should serve your structure. Likewise, if your work skews compact and information forward, it’s useful to know where logic could give way to lyricism or artistry to enhance the emotional impact of the whole. In both cases, looking closely at word and sentence sequence and placement, as well as paragraph placement, is a useful practice. So let’s look closely at some strong nonfiction work and talk about how word choices, sequencing, and sentence and paragraph placement change the mood and impact of the work as a whole. We’ll spend a little time rearranging sentences and writing a few of our own to experiment.