Last writing tip of 2023

Here’s me writing this post, dragging myself to the finish line as 2023 draws to a close. I am looking partly burnt out and partly excited about my end-of-the-year vacation. Anywho… 

Here’s a writing tip I learned recently. Keep building a single picture in your reader’s mind. Don’t build 2 separate pictures – that is hard for the reader. 

 

Example –

Richard went to the market. His favorite James Bond movie was playing at the movie theatre. The market was next to the movie theatre.

Now, in this case, I am building two images in the audience’s head – the market and the movie theatre, and then you are combining them. This is hard. 

 

Do this instead –

Richard went to the market. The market was next to the movie theatre. His favorite James Bond was playing at the movie theatre.

Here, there is only one image – the market, which I am gradually expanding to include the movie theatre. This is easy for the reader to imagine.