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I still laugh when I remember my church wedding. It was an extremely simple wedding in my parents’ church in Meiran, Lagos, and right from the start, I just wanted it to end.
(This was not necessarily a bad thing and maybe I’ll shed some more light on it in the future).
Right on time, the organist started the music as my dad and I as we walked down the aisle. We met David at the front row of the church and the ceremony started in earnest.
Right on time, the organist started the music as my dad and I as we walked down the aisle. We met David at the front row of the church and the ceremony started in earnest.
Everything was going really well until we were on our feet singing a hymn and I saw David’s face literally cloud with anger. I tapped him and asked ‘What’s wrong?’. Note that David HARDLY gets angry.
Keeping his eyes glued to the instrumentalists, he replied me, ‘Can’t you hear the rubbish this trumpeter is playing?’
Truthfully, the guy on the trumpet was off!
Truthfully, the guy on the trumpet was off!
It was as though he was playing a completely different song, in a completely different key, in a completely different world.
I chuckled and said ‘Well, surely it’s not that bad. The hymn is almost over. Just try to unhear what he’s playing.’
I chuckled and said ‘Well, surely it’s not that bad. The hymn is almost over. Just try to unhear what he’s playing.’
I could see David struggling to sing along, to act like all was well, but he was failing terribly. The trumpet player in him just couldn’t take it. And so, he spent the entire hymn time and then some, frowning and seething.
In hindsight, I understand David’s reaction to the poorly played music.
That’s exactly how I feel with poorly written work. I literally cringe when I don’t hear good rhythm in writing. And it’s amazing how many people don’t hear the music in written work (and even in speech).
That’s exactly how I feel with poorly written work. I literally cringe when I don’t hear good rhythm in writing. And it’s amazing how many people don’t hear the music in written work (and even in speech).
Writing is rhythmic and good writing is simply good rhythm. It’s using different sentence structures, using punctuation to drive home points, ensuring you show and not just tell, peaking and releasing, and all these amazing things.
Bad rhythm stands out like a sore thumb and can distract from the message of the piece.
Anyway, I’m currently putting together super fun courses to help you write better. Can’t wait to announce them!
Meanwhile, what’s one thing that irks you and doesn’t seem to irk others?
Meanwhile, what’s one thing that irks you and doesn’t seem to irk others?
