I read in a book a long time ago that some authors "work out the rhythm of a sentence before composing the sentence." Is this true? And is this a viable way of writing? Do any of you use this method? What if the rhythm and the thought you wish to express are incompatible, as the rhythm demands too few or too many words?
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This all falls down to personal opinion, which much of writing does in the end. Writing out the rhythm of a sentence before actually writing the content of it can work for many styles of writing that need the words to fall graciously, it can make for work that is very fluid and easy to read.
One thing to consider is the point of view you are writing from, if you are writing from the point of view of a down-on-his-luck nobody who just lost his job but still holds out hope because of his dog that doesn't care about his poverty then writing in a poetic and free-flowing way with this technique could work very well. On the other hand if you are writing from the point of view of a no-nonsense judge who has no time for anything but the facts then the writing style might benefit from a more objective and factual style that doesn't often lend itself to this technique.
Ultimately it falls down to personal preference, and without knowing more about your story it is impossible to give advice that caters to you perfectly. My final word is to consider what type of story you're writing, and what you want the reader to feel when they read it.
Rebecca Marshall
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