Rhythm of text and accents in copywriting
The standard of quality for a copywriter is to read the text to the end. We tell you how to achieve it.
When reading, our brain perceives not only the logical structures expressed through combinations of words and sentences, but also the overall rhythm of the text. It is this rhythm that can influence the quality of perception and even evoke vivid emotions. For this reason, working with verbal rhythm is included in the list of basic copywriting techniques.
The concept of tempo and rhythm in a text
The concept of verbal rhythm emerged thanks to music. It was this type of art that demonstrated the existence of unwritten laws of perception of external signals by the human brain. Later, this experience was adapted to verbal creativity. Today, the rhythm of the text means the order of alternation of syllables, words, phrases and sentences. It affects our nervous system and activates the different centers in the cerebral cortex. Simply put, an unfortunate combination of sentences can turn a useful article into a long string of phrases and turns of phrase. In addition to rhythm, it is also important to pay attention to the pace of the text, that is, the speed of development of the narrative. There is no universal formula that describes the ideal proportions of rhythm and tempo. In most cases, the copywriter has to look for optimal values, taking into account the stylistics, theme and objectives of the text.
Monotone and dynamic text: why is it important?
Rhythm and tempo can be used to make the text dynamic or monotonous. In the first case, the reading can motivate to action, arouse vivid emotions, and in the second case, it can lead to a meditative state or take away the desire to continue reading.
Tips for creating rhythmic text
To create an optimal rhythm of the text use the technique of interleaving sentences and arranging the accents. But first, an outline must be prepared. Without it, the chaotic combination of words and sentences can disrupt the rhythm of the article.
Plan the rhythm of the text
To begin with, it is necessary to determine the style and divide the text into semantic blocks. For example, the specifics of informational texts make it impractical to try to start the narrative with short sentences and increasing tempo. These tools are better used to increase the persuasiveness of the argumentation after the key theses of the article are proposed. But promotional texts will not become selling without the short, capacious sentences. All of this should be taken into account when preparing a rhythm plan.
Use short, medium and long sentences
Ideally, you should constantly alternate sentences of different lengths to create maximum psychological comfort. According to the number of words they are divided into:
- long (more than 10 words);
- medium (5 to 10 words);
- meek (1 to 4 words).
After the long one, use a short and then a middle sentence to create a dynamic text. In this way, you can keep the reader in a constant state of mind, keeping him or her from getting bored.
If there is no clear plan of the text, it is recommended to avoid repeating single-type sentences or to focus on the rhythm of syllables, words and word combinations. Otherwise, the text will look like this fragment in the eyes of the reader:
Setting the accents
Sometimes even experienced copywriters don't know how to put emphasis in a text without using additional means of emphasis. In fact, this can be done by such means as accentuation, focusing on individual words and changing their order. Focusing the reader's attention on individual words can significantly improve the readability of the text and make it more understandable.
If you have written text and realize that it lacks dynamics, you can use the ReText.Ai text platform. You just need to upload your text to the site and change it using one of the available functions: summarize, expand or convert. Also artificial intelligence allows you to replace words with synonyms.