Today, I was talking w a student about writing, and I said you have to think with paragraphs—how they shape meaning by showcasing main ideas and giving ideas different depth. 1/

You also have to think w the sentence. Length and complexity slow while shorter sentences pick up speed. What effect are you trying to produce? How do you maintain interest in the pacing? 2/

Even as you think w paragraphs and sentences, you must be mindful of the words you’re using. Here everything is about precision. Try to find the right words for what you mean and consider their variant meanings that might make intent go wayward. 3/

As you write, then, you have to be thinking at the level of the paragraph, the sentence, and the word—all simultaneously. This is partly why writing is so hard. And it’s a marvel any of us can do it. /end