The Rhythm of Writing

Some people absolutely hate to write. If given the chance to make a ten-minute video project or write a five-page paper, they choose the video project. I was never like that, I don’t think I ever will be. Writing has always come naturally to me, and for that I am thankful. It’s almost like a superpower. Now, I am not saying I am the “Wonder Woman” of writing, but I like to believe I am a very notable sidekick on her way to stardom.

Because writing comes to me as an enjoyment rather than a rare form of torture, I like to experiment how I go about doing the dang thing. Over the past six months, I have tried countless types of environments, music choices, blue light glasses, you name it. I’ve tested whether taking short breaks throughout writing a piece works better than sitting it out, and, yes, I have tried standing while writing as well. Even on one foot.

I am proud to say, at 21 years of age, I have found a rhythm of writing that works for me. It is uniquely “Brooke” and has allowed me to produce some of my favorite writing pieces.

The inspiration for my writing “rhythm” comes from my background in classical ballet. A classical ballet is split up into sections of dancers: the corps, the body of the ballet; the soloists, the supporting roles; and the principals, la creme de la creme. When seeing classical ballets, the audience gets most excited for the principal dancers, the one’s responsible for carrying the ballet. The soloists are a near second highlight, as they give definition to the principals and add depth to the ballet’s story. Lastly, the corps, the numerous dancers that offer support and spurs of excitement, yet still allow for the principals to shine.

Think of a press release. The heading is the principal dancer. The most important detail, and without it, there would be no ballet, no story.

The soloist, the subheading, defines the principal’s actions and gives reasoning for each movement.

Then, the corps, the body of the release. It gives support to the heading, adds clarity and excitement, and dives deeper into the “why” of the story.

Without each of these three parts, a ballet would be incomplete. A press release would not exist.

Now, think of a more detailed piece. Maybe, a long-lead story or a blog post. Does the classical ballet analogy still apply? Yes, but let us shift to the music behind classical ballet.

The Nutcracker Suite, one of the most iconic ballet scores of all time, reads like a story, mimicking an author writing. First, a strong chord, often from a piano or a violin, catches the audience’s attention. When writing, in English that is, we have 26 letters. It is our job as writers to arrange those letters into words, and words into sentences. A composer only has 8 notes, yet he or she composes these notes into a beautiful symphony. The Nutcracker Suite moves up and down and makes you jolt when you least expect it. Writers use detail to evoke the same emotion out of their readers.

Thinking of my writing as a ballet, or as a composer’s classical masterpiece, makes sense to me. It keeps me organized but somehow leaves room for my mind to twist and turn and go in a million different directions. There is no saying I am not dancing in my seat right now.

The world has a cadence and writing is just an interruption to that cadence, just like dance and music and movement. If we, as public relations professionals, want to disrupt the noise with newsworthy stories, we should also be disrupting the world’s natural cadence with a little bit of rhythm, don’t you think?