Improve your Writing (Parallel Structure)
Whenever I think of the word structure, I think of building and businesses. Never thought that this would apply in this specific way in writing.
Parallel structure in writing is not referring to how your paper is organised and structured, but rather the use of words within your paper.
When describing or listing things, they have to be similar (parallel). Imaging how bad it would be if you mix rocks into a salad, I would not eat it, similarly your reader will not want to put that into his/her mind or even read it.
Something else that can lead to this is having a noun or a very awkwardly placed in the sentence.
Example:I need to go to the house, drop off the children and the hiking trip needs to be planned.
- I need to go to the house.
- I need to drop off the children
- I need to the hiking trip needs to be planned
See how he base of the sentence "I need to" does not fit in with the last section. To fix this it is best to always list things, this will help you get back on track and make things parallel again.
I need to go to the house
I need to drop off the children
I need to plan the hiking trip
Parallel: I need to go to the house, drop off the children and plan the hiking trip.
Remember that you can fix this anyway you want (any form) as long as the form stays the same throughout the writing. Do not confuse the reader by not being consistent in your form of writing.
Resumes
Items in separate lists should also be parallel. This problem often occurs in résumés, and reflects poorly on the applicant.
Not parallel: Leadership Experience
• Volunteered as a reading tutor at Sunnyside Elementary
• Served as student body president
• I have worked as a mentor at a school for troubled youth
Parallel: Leadership Experience
• Volunteered as a reading tutor at Sunnyside Elementary
• Served as student body vice president
• Worked as a mentor at a school for troubled youth
Source: Link(Download)
There are some lovely exercises on this work at this Link I am not sure if you will be able to access it, but let me know if you can't and I will try upload the PDF in the comments for you.
Just on a little side note for self improvement. I will be doing pushups, situps and squats for the amount of $$$ (ratio;$2:1) I earn on this post and will give a short feedback every day at the end of each post. This will be split in equally between all 3. Any not done will carry onto the next day.
Hahaha, I have been taking that advice for years. It's so damn funny to wake up and find a diatribe on my computer from the night of drinking before. So many rants. So little time.
The post is very necessary. I try to choose different words. Very many synonyms in the language. And the text often changes the meaning when you don't care about the purity of the language. Recommendations wise. Thanks, I will try. To improve my English.
Lovely gif thank you.
Write drunk, edit sober, I'll definitely apply that one! :') thanks for the tips @dragonslayer109!
Surely it works better the other way around. This is the entertainment business!
Hmmm, maybe LOL. But writing drunk = improves creativity, sober editing = makes it understandable in a way :'). But maybe it's difficult to understand your own story once you're sobered up.
How about we just do both drunk.
Hahaha I don't think that would work.
I tried writing drunk once. Couldn't understand shit when I saw it the other day lol.
Well I don't drink so that will not be happening.
Maybe write on coffee and edit on even more coffee? ;)
good advice :)
what is people don't drink, what should those writers do in the mean time @dragonslayer109 , eat ice cream in the summer and drink coffee in the winter...
lol :)
Nice one...keep it up mate...
very good and useful
It is realy a good post. It helps many people .
Thanks so much for this very useful post. I am always looking for different ways to improve my writing skills. I will definitely make sure that when I write items in a list they will follow a parallel structure.
Glad you liked my tips and will be using them :)
Seems like you have to do a lot of situps ad squats. :D
very helpful post, thanks! For me it's hard to write a good article because English is not my first language and I didn't write in it since school (~15 years ago). So I need every help I can get ^^
The most important lesson I learned from your post is that I need to get drunk now. ;-)
Keep up the good work!
Followed and upvoted. Love your writing tips:)
Hey @dragonslayer109 :) I am also a writer and I have a personal blog. Take a look :) Resteem if you like it!
https://steemit.com/blog/@kellyjaneturner/blog-inspiration-kelly-jane-journeys-intertwining-photography-videography-audio-and-writing
I will have a look at it :) I am not a writer though.