The first thing children learn about language is sound. They enjoy the sound of certain words, repeat them, and use them in sentences. When we think of sound in writing, poetry comes into mind because it’s all about rhythm. However, prose, as well as poetry, relies on sound.

A good writer knows what the sound of their writing is. It’s like having a “mind’s ear.” When you write a passage, you hear it in your head. As soon as you catch something dull, switch the rhythm a bit and make the story flow. This creation of the flow is another characteristic of a good writer. Your main task is to lead your reader to the next word, sentence, and passage.

Listen to your prose, control its rhythm, and move the story forward. Rudyard Kipling was a master of creating stories with simple vocabulary on the one side and beautiful sounds on the other. Reading such writers as Kipling, you will understand that you aren’t enchanted by elaborate vocabulary or the meaning of the words but rather by their “aural beauty.”

To develop your mind’s ear, you might try an exercise called *Being Gorgeous*. Firstly, write a passage or more for a story. Use different rhythmic effects, alliteration, repetition, and so on. You could even make up some strange names or add dialect words. Remember not to use any rhyme or meter. Ready? Then, write one more passage. Think of intense emotion, whether positive or negative and depict a person feeling it or an action causing it. Here, don’t hesitate to add a unique rhythm to illustrate this emotion.

If you do this exercise in a group, read your passages aloud and get feedback. If you do it alone, perform your piece of writing. This way, you will feel where your text needs improvement. After finishing this exercise, ask yourself a few questions: Did concentration on the sound of the writing release or enable anything unusual or surprising, a voice you haven’t often used? Did you enjoy being gorgeous, or was it a strain? Can you say why?