The Rhythm of Writing: How Breaking One Universal Rule Changes Everything

By Patti Jo Amerein

A brilliant editor once told me that another brilliant editor once told her she was falling into the habit of grouping her descriptors into sets of three. Allison K Williams had pointed out that although following this common “rule of threes” may feel rhythmic and comfortable to the writer, it can lead to a monotonous and predictable experience for the reader. Even worse, to the keen reader, it may come across as lazy writing, like the 900th time a character was tall, d...