Ever notice how poets write some of the most powerful fiction and non-fiction out there? Think of Margaret Atwood, Janet Frame, Elizabeth Bishop, and Victoria Redel, just to name a few.
Among the things that make these authors masters of the prose form is their reverence for how individual words sound.
They understand that vowel sounds carry and reinforce the emotion, tone, and meaning of their stories.
It’s subtle; readers are rarely conscious of why they have a particular emotional response to a story. But accomplished poets and prose writers choose words deliberately, with attention to frequencies that hit a certain lyric register.
In today’s video, we’re going to look at the poet’s vowel scale, which is very similar to the music scale. You’ll learn how to choose words based on musical precision so that you can create greater emotional resonance in your stories.
There’s even a fun little writing exercise for you at the end. If you want to share, post your work in the comments below. I’d love to read your writing!
The vowel scale is a great tool, especially when it comes to revising our prose at the sentence level. Many of us have an instinctive ear for sound, whether we’re conscious of it or not.
So, keeping vowel sounds in mind, go back to something you’re working on, a scene or passage where you want to convey a particular mood or emotion.
Now look for those places where you seem to be hitting the right musical register. You’ll be surprised how good you already are at this.
Then look for those places where you can be even more musically accurate. Don’t over think this. Just trust your instincts. And, above all, have fun!
Then, if you’re up for it, share a paragraph or two in the comments below. Or send it to me via email: Nanci@emergingwriters.us
Thank you, as always, for stopping by, and for sharing your thoughts, experiences, and stories!
