Throw Out The First Three Paragraphs!
June 30, 2008 by Anne Wayman
Filed under Jobs
I’ve heard writing teachers say it, and I’ve heard magazine editors say it: “Throw out the first three paragraphs!”
What in the world are they talking about?
The truth is, even for professionals, the first couple of paragraphs, if you’re writing an article, or even the first chapter if you’re writing a book, is likely to be dreck. I’m not sure why. It’s almost as if the mind has to warm up somehow, maybe by writing some semi-coherent sentences, or even a full paragraph or three or four before the good writing kicks in. I know it often works this way for me.
Back when I was editing newspapers and magazines, it was amazing how often I’d strike the first couple of paragraphs – particularly in the offerings of the beginning writers. Those with some seasoning usually spotted the need to drop the false start before it ever got to me.
This came to mind because I’m four chapters into a book and realized I had to reorder the whole darn thing. What I called Chapter 4 is actually where the whole book should begin. I’ll probably find a way to rescue most of other chapters, but it’s going to be a major effort, and experience tells me I’ll end up throwing out a lot, maybe even the equivalent f a chapter or two.
And that, perhaps, is the mark of a truly professional writer. We don’t mind throwing our words out when that’s what’s called for. We know our prose is far from deathless. We want our writing to be good, even excellent, and if that means tossing out bunches of words, that’s what we do.
Write well and often,
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After eliminating the first three paragraphs of this comment, my comment is:
“Nice post.”
Oh, but it’s so hard to throw out perfectly good writing! Like you, Anne, I’d be more inclined to see how I can shuffle it around and make it work. :))
One of the ways you and I got to be successful freelancers was a willingness to dump good writing if it wasn’t needed… or save it for something else ;)
What’s that old expression? You have to be willing to “kill your babies” sometimes. Don’t fall too much in love with your own words. Knowing what to cut and what to keep is part of our job.
That’s very much the same rule we use in copywriting, as well. Write a few warm-up paragraphs, get into the zone, and then dump the intro.
Works every time.
As a corollary to this, I find that sometimes the last paragraph of an article should actually be the first. A good clue for this is if you are particularly happy with your “killer ending” — consider if maybe it is so good you should lead with it.
I think that not only does your mind “warm up” but you are actually becoming more intimate with the subject as you write it. You are adding structure to the article, seeing what works and what doesn’t. The good “nuggets” start appearing later in the article, and the “core nugget” that your whole premise is (should) be built on suddenly appears at the end.
Shift that core nugget to the top of the article, rebuild accordingly, and you will likely improve the whole piece.
That’s what I’ve found over the years anyway…
~Graham
Roberta, thanks… I love it when folks agree with me.
Graham… great point or points!
I fall in love with the word count. :)) I do agree that in larger works, throwing out or even reshuffling and trimming the dead stuff out of the lead is essential. For articles, I’m a one-time-through kinda gal. I formulate that beginning as I’m typing out my interview notes. I’m fortunate to have that ability. But the rest is a crap shoot. :))