Change of Mind: Beat by Beat- The Rhythm of Great Writing

A former mirage of myself was chained by obscure foes- words. Words? Yes, words. I was incapable of producing the “right” words in my writing. My writing was always forced- never containing a continuous flow. My writing moved like a car with insufficient gas, small spurts of activity trying to utilize what little fuel remains, and ever so slowly reaching its destination. Words and their complications-usage, spelling, finding a place for them amidst other towering enemies- all contributing to draining the life from my writing. Worst of all, was grammar- with its sole purpose to set rules on writing and to punish those who strayed from that path. How is one to find art within this array of horror?

But then, my ears learned of an alternate ego to words- rhythm. Now that’s more like it. I love the enjoyment my ears receive from music, especially hip hop/rap, but not the mainstream rap you hear on the radio that degrades women and encourages the worship of false idols. I enjoy the poetry made with the articulation of various words all finding their place adjacent to each other to form a flow, a rhythm, a piece of art. In contrast, I never discovered this enjoyment in my own writing. My thoughts were always restricted. My voice wasn’t apparent in the typed words below me. This idea of rhythm is foreign to me, yet I like it. No, I love it, I love it, I LOVE IT. I wonder what’s the limit on the types of rhythms that can be used in writing- slow bass drums, sporadic paradiddles, constant snare drums? Using rhythm to express my emotions- why hadn’t I thought of it?

My view on writing took a complete flip. For example, yes, grammar is needed for strict purposes, but it’s there as well for artistic purposes. Writers can intentionally leave out commas and other punctuation marks to create a rhythm that fits their words. They can alter the spacing between words to express hesitance. These tools that we have are there for us to shape and create our own work of art. Since I was in third grade, I’ve always wondered why the grammar topics I learned rarely appeared in the books I read. My mind now knows that beautiful art utilizes these tools that may not follow their designated purposes but are used in a way that elicits a stronger emotional response. Previously, it was difficult for me to find the art in writing and the application of mechanics in that perspective. Now I begin to see that grammar, punctuation, and other mechanics are the brushes and paint for a creative artist.