“SEAMLESS”

                                   

                                                    Continuity in Writing

 

            Have you ever listened to the lyrics of a song or words of poetry and thought how well each line complimented the other? I’m sure you have, and that’s what happens when they are well written. You probably noticed how each line flowed seamlessly into the next.

That is the definition of continuity. So, before I explain how to write continuity, I should first explain why it is crucial in writing.

As I mentioned before, words that flow make sense when the subject, verb in each phrase agrees. Otherwise, it would be so confusing if every other sentence within a paragraph jumped around.

That would be extremely hard to follow, and soon you would lose interest in that story and move on to the next.

The goal is not to let the reader think that you’re not smarter than a 6^th grader. Although, I’ve encountered plenty of elementary children who are extremely smart.

To avoid what could be an embarrassing situation, let’s start with the three rules of continuity:

1.      limit

2.      function

3.      equal values

These facts are true whether in mathematics are writing.

Now let’s move on to writing continuity. According to www.investmentwriting.com

There must be a clean narrative, parallel structuring, this, that, and other words that bridge sentences.

The best way to know if you’re writing is on point and maintaining these rules is to read your work and check for errors.

If the main character’s name began as, let’s say, Susan, it shouldn’t change midway through the story. So let’s not confuse our readers with avoidable gaffes.

The best way to avoid these mistakes is to create a way to keep track of characters, places, and times.

One technique I use if I forget a character name or detail, I use the find content in the document within the Microsoft Office app, and it will direct me to every place I’ve used a name, character, or location.

As we discussed earlier, all paragraphs should be linked to the narrative and have a consistent flow from one to the next.

Continuity strengthens the connection between sentences, and it will make you a better writer.