Have you ever read a section of your manuscript, only to realize clusters of sentences sound the same?
“I remember this. I remember that. I remember those. I remember these.”
It’s what I call the singsong pattern, where the same structure and even the same wording repeats itself.
That’s a perfectly normal way to write a first draft, and it’s okay. That’s what first drafts are for. You’re trying to get your creative thoughts and memories on paper without editing as you go along. I encourage that!
But after you finish your first draft, when it’s time to read through and self-edit, you might notice that singsong pattern in certain paragraphs. That’s where self-editing helps to break up the rhythm.
What Is the Singsong Pattern?
A singsong pattern is when several sentences in a row take the same form. For example:
I like ham. I like cheese. I like bread. I like tomatoes. I like pickles.
You can see how the structure repeats from one sentence to the next. They all sound the same.
Even though each sentence is clear, that cluster of sentences is hard to read. It’s choppy, not a smooth reading experience. The reader stops noticing the story you’re sharing and starts focusing on the repeating rhythm. It takes the reader out of the story; the writing loses its connection.
Reread the example and see how it feels to read it:
I like ham. I like cheese. I like bread. I like tomatoes. I like pickles.
It’s like singing a song with the same three notes over and over.
A variation of notes and rhythm is what makes music interesting and engaging. Same with writing.
Self-Editing: Recognizing the Singsong Pattern
When you start the self-editing phase, after your first draft is written, notice the rhythm of your sentences. Do they sound the same? Or do they have variety?
It helps to read your paragraphs out loud and hear how they land for the reader. Listen for sentences that sound the same. Look for clusters of sentences that begin with the same words. Notice where sentence lengths are similar within the same paragraph.
How to Fix the Singsong Pattern
If you come across a singsong pattern in your first draft, it’s simple to fix. Here are a few possibilities:
- Combine sentences.
- Vary the way sentences begin.
- Use a variety of sentence lengths.
- Add some reflection.
- Describe instead of simply telling.
Let’s take our example:
I like ham. I like cheese. I like bread. I like tomatoes. I like pickles.
Here’s one way to change it:
When it comes to creating a great sandwich, my favorite ingredients are ham and cheese. Especially cheddar. With fresh homemade bread: delicious. Tomatoes add a crisp note. Garnish it with pickles, and that’s a perfect lunch.
You can see how that revised version conveys the same information with more depth. The sentence lengths are different now. With fragments woven in, which is okay if intentional.
In the revision, some of the sentences were changed from subject-verb-object to opening with a clause or phrase. Reflection was added to paint a picture for the reader rather than a list. It’s easier to read, engage, experience.
When Repetition Works
While a recurring singsong pattern can be difficult for readers, sometimes repetition is effective. Especially when it’s used to create a certain rhythm, emphasis, or emotion.
Poetry often uses repetition as part of its rhythm. The poet creates the repetition intentionally for the reader’s emotions.
A speech may use repetition to drive home a point. Repetition is easier in speeches because you don’t have a reader’s gaze moving along the page. Instead, people are listening to a speaker who will pause for effect after certain words.
In a book manuscript, repetition might be helpful in certain places for taking the reader through a process. For example, an author might invite a reader to bring their worries forward so they can reflect on them:
Bring all your worries. Bring your cares. Bring your fears of the unknown. Bring those inner words of warning. We’re going to look at them all.
You can almost see the author pointing their hand toward each individual fear, one after the other, and motioning the reader to bring each one forward.
When an author intentionally chooses a pattern like that, it’s to create emphasis and to involve the reader in the process. They want the reader to focus on bringing each kind of fear to reflect on it. Not to skim over that section, but to pause and think about what they need to bring.
The key is intentionality. The singsong pattern can be effective if you use it intentionally. And if you don’t overuse it.
The question to ask, as you self-edit, is, “Am I using this repeating pattern here because I chose it to help the reader? Or am I using it because that’s just how it came out in my first-draft writing?”
Followed by, “If I chose it intentionally, am I overusing it?”
As you self-edit, those are questions you can ask yourself about the singsong pattern. If the pattern isn’t intentional, you can tweak those sentences to bring more variety.
Save the Singsong for Self-Editing
Remember that breaking up the singsong pattern is something that happens in the self-editing phase of your project, not the initial writing phase. I encourage everyone to write your first draft from your heart without stopping to edit. Put your heart on paper in whatever way it emerges. That’s how you capture your best writing, your most engaging story, your heart for the reader.
After you finish your first draft, that’s when you go back through and self-edit.
Noticing the singsong pattern and creating a more varied sentence structure is part of that self-editing process. Good editing doesn’t take away the heart and voice from your writing. It simply polishes it to make it clearer for the reader.
Janet Eriksson 