Be a Biz Writing Master: Learn How to Write a Paragraph
Writing Master? Yes, please. Learn how to write a paragraph? YAWN.
Stay with me here. It’s one of the inside stories of great (and faster) writing.
In anything we do, there are rules and foundations that actually work. Did you know that Picasso was an accomplished draftsman who knew how to draw a human figure that could make you cry in the presence of its realism and beauty? It was the foundation of drawing that lifted him to soar into the creative craziness that earned him a permanent place in the history of art.
Greatness starts with the fundamentals.
The Paragraph Rule
The first sentence of each paragraph of your written piece is the main idea of the paragraph — the point you want to make to the reader. Each sentence following it supports that first sentence, progressively moving the reader through the “proof” — from A to B to C to Z. The reader is carried along with you, curious, engaged, and following all the way. They don’t know why. But you know it’s because you have intentionally led them simply, logically, progressively to the outcome you want them to reach.
How the Paragraph Rule works
Take the sentence I wrote above: “In anything we do, there are rules and foundations that actually work.” The subject of the paragraph is that people may not care about or have time for rules when they write, but the rules do indeed matter. The next two sentences about Picasso provide evidence to prove the first sentence, and follow in logical sequence to explain.
If you mixed up the order of the sentences, the point I’m trying to make wouldn’t be so clear. If you have 4–6 sentences in the paragraph, each one should progressively support your main idea.
How to test it
Find something you’ve written — blog article, sales letter, web copy, white paper, whatever — and read only the first sentence of each paragraph, all the way through your piece. Is your point getting across clearly and progressively? Does it still make sense without the other sentences? If so, awesome.
If not, you might see some sentences that don’t follow logically, so try these steps. Just switching the order of those paragraphs could do the trick. You might realize there’s a gap in the flow, so you’ll need to add a paragraph that will connect the thoughts more smoothly. Sometimes some random renegade sneaks in there (it seemed like a good idea at the time…) and that paragraph just needs to go. Let it go!
Now for the crazy
Start with the Paragraph Rule, but let yourself go and do it in your own conversational style. YOUR STYLE — your unique and authentic voice — is what will make your writing soar. The Paragraph Rule keeps it from making no sense to the reader.
P.S. Reverse engineer the rule: If you get stuck writing something, try using the Paragraph Rule to clear your path (also known as a sentence outline — thank you, high school English teacher…). Here’s how it works.
Write simple sentences that describe your main points — just drafts, nothing fancy. Then order them progressively and logically from A to whatever. Next, take each first sentence and fill in with your supporting points. Before you know it, you will have written the piece. Add your own creative crazy and you’re done!
