8 Major Ways To Create a Perfect Logical Flow in Your Writing

Have you ever read an article and couldn’t understand it? When you read a paragraph many times, but can’t figure out the point of the writing, something might be wrong with the flow of the writing.

Writing with logical flow goes from one sentence to another, one paragraph to the next, without disruption from within the writing.

Also, readers love to read without the stress of searching for what the writer is trying to say. Good writing is about putting words together to form sentences and forming them into paragraphs that make sense.

When you fail to do this, you might create a writing few people find interesting. But you don’t want that, so here’s how to make your writing have a logical flow.

Address One Point at a Time

For your writing to make meaning to its readers, each paragraph should communicate a particular idea or message.

Any attempt to write about two or more ideas in a paragraph will affect the flow of the writing. A clever way to do this is to use a topic sentence.

Topic sentences are usually short sentences that show the key point of the paragraph. It’s the first sentence in the paragraph and a pointer to what the other sentences are about. A topic sentence helps the reader understand the paragraph.

Use Transitions

A piece of writing may seem disconnected because there is no flow from one paragraph to another. It leaves the reader to wonder if the new paragraph is a continuation of the next paragraph or different thought.

This is where transition words come in handy. Transitions words and phrases connect the last sentence of a paragraph to the first sentence of the next paragraph.

Sometimes the transitional words do not relate to the paragraph but serve as a prompt for the next paragraph.

Whatever purpose it serves, transition pulls the reader in and encourages him to keep reading. Here are examples of transitional words and phrases and their different purposes:

To Show Agreement or Addition: Also, in addition, in the same way, likewise.

To Highlight the Importance of a Point or Show Examples: For example, for instance, such as, in fact, in other words.

To Express a Contrary View: On the other hand, In contrast, on the contrary, Although, However.

To Conclude a Point: In summary, in conclusion, ultimately

To Show Consequence / Result: Therefore, as a result, for this reason.

Outline Your Ideas

Not every writer likes to outline, but most writers do. Outlining is used to visualise what you want to write and how to write it well. It provides a direction to your writing even before you type the first word.

With outlines, you can plan the flow of your writing to see what works and what might not work at the pre-writing stage.

Besides, outlining helps you get back on track when you digress too far from the main idea of your writing. For instance, you are writing a review of a cat food brand, but notice you have shifted focus to writing about how to feed a cat.

There are similarities, but your readers want to read about the brand and not an instructional on feeding a cat. To keep your readers interested, you need to retrace your step, and a quick look at your outline will show you the problem so you can fix it.

Use Subheading

Readers read differently, some read thoroughly, while others skim. Subheadings help readers find a particular idea or point in your writing with ease, no matter how they read.

Some readers get tired easily when reading long continuous writing filled with what seems like an endless sea of paragraphs. For example, a reader might read a 2000-word article because it has subheadings than an 800-word article without subheadings.

Subheading acts as a structural brake, pointing your reader through the major points of the writing. It may also reveal the idea of a paragraph, just like a topic sentence.

Punctuations Matter

There is a big difference between:

· ‘I’m sorry I love you’ and ‘I’m sorry; I love you’.

The difference is so significant it could mend a relationship or end it.

Punctuations, especially the comma, have a way of changing a sentence unexpectedly. So be careful with the use of this important writing tool.

Here’s another sentence that shows the power of punctuation:

Sentence 1: I get inspiration from cooking my parents and best friend.

Sentence 2: I get inspiration from cooking, my parents, and my best friend.

Are you telling your reader what inspires you or that you are a cannibal?

Most times, when a sentence does not relate to other sentences in a paragraph or sounds awkward, the first culprit is the punctuation mark.

Go through your writing and ensure punctuation marks are not changing the meaning of your writing.

Vary the Sentence Length

Mixing short and long sentences makes writing interesting. If your writing has too many long sentences, it becomes difficult to read and affects the flow of the writing.

However, if you use too many short sentences, the writing becomes monotonous and loses the tempo needed to make it enjoyable.

Varying sentence lengths make the writing more engaging for your readers. Use short sentences to emphasise or summarise an idea in a paragraph, or introduce a point in an opening sentence.

Long sentences, on the other hand, are good for creating vivid images and descriptive writing. Mixing long and short sentences improves the rhythm of your writing and creates a perfect logical flow.

Avoid Wordiness

Good writing has brief sentences. Writing becomes wordy when the sentences contain words that add no meaning to the composition of the sentence.

You can take out these filler words, and they won’t affect the main point of the sentence or paragraph. Check out these sentences:

Wordy: In my own personal opinion, writing is difficult

Better: Writing is difficult (it’s your opinion, no need to state that fact again).

Wordy: All the new workers are to attend a meeting that has been scheduled to hold tomorrow.

Better: New workers are to attend a meeting tomorrow

Wordy sentences are not usually grammatically wrong, but they don’t add any extra information to the sentence, so it’s smart to cut them off.

Keep your writing brief to communicate the same ideas without disrupting the logical flow of your writing.

Re-Order Your Paragraphs

The first draft is not always good and needs editing, but before you edit, check if the paragraphs follow a logical order.

A good way to do this is by reading through the end of one paragraph and the beginning of the next one to see if it links.

If it does not link, re-order the paragraphs, edit the sentences, add transitions where necessary, and read it aloud to see if it has a smooth flow.

Conclusion

Logical flow is an important aspect of writing. To create engaging, consistent, and effective content, your writing should have a smooth flow and maintain a single tone and style.

Writing that appeals to readers uses a variety of short and long sentences, avoids redundant words and phrases, and focuses on one idea in a paragraph. When you apply these important elements, you will have a logical flow in your writing.