Recently, I’ve found myself listening to late evening radio shows that feature announcers who speak in foreign languages. I used to change the channel when these came on, but have discovered that I enjoy listening to the cadence and rhythm of a foreign tongue. There is a lyrical quality to the ebb and flow of pitch intertwined with the fluency of the spoken word. With meaning removed from the equation, I am free to appreciate the music of language.
I have always felt that it is important to incorporate this quality into one’s writing, and there are a few web resources that say it better than I probably would. Here are the links:
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Common “pitfalls” of sentence structure and how to avoid them:
http://www.mycollegesuccessstory.com/academic-success-tools/superb-sentences.html
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Helpful suggestions for avoiding choppy sentence structure:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/573/03/
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This one is aimed at younger writers, but the content is excellent:
http://www.ttms.org/writing_quality/sentence_fluency.htm
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On the qualities of good prose:
http://www.fictionfactor.com/articles/style.html
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Sentence variation and the rhythm of writing:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/159621/how_you_can_write_strong_and_lively.html
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Enjoy!
Layinda's Blog 
I love doing this, too! Also, I love hearing the Jewish prayers. The chanting, rocking, soothing sound of their voices are wonderful. I don’t have a link to share, but oh – it’s lovely. 🙂
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These are great websites! I think more writers should study writing along with just “writing.” The tighter the writing, the better, in my opinion. Thanks for the help. molly
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We have students from a variety of cultures at school. I love listening to them interact with each other and their parents. It is so musical 🙂
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What a wonderful pot of literary gold. Thanks so much for digging up these wonderful resources and sharing them with us!
Off to check them out.
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