Run an article through the four-part musicality test. It’s no guarantee of clarity, but clear and intriguing writing tends to do well on all measures.

• Writing rhythm —do the sentences vary? Color code them: 1-3 words yellow, 4-8 red, 9-13 green, 13+ blue.


• Article form —does the structure vary in a subtle, pleasant way?


• Argument harmony —is it

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How to describe the music? Avant-garde, ambient/downtempo, experimental dance music with unusual instruments and sounds drawn from traditional Chinese music. This is a useful description, but it also feels a bit keyword -y, like I’m describing the album for a search engine and recommendations system.

Let me try again. It’s music you can dance to or... See more

Stephen King is the author of so many horror classics that naming them almost feels pointless. But ask any writer-in-training and they’ll tell you he’s also the author of On Writing, a memoir-slash-writing guide full of practical wisdom and memorable aphorisms to help the aspiring writer hone their craft. It’s also dotted with vignettes from King’s... See more