Timbre is that unique sound quality of an instrument bestowed by the wood or metal chosen. Articles have timbre too. Writers imbue their creations with subtitles, comma choices, and inflections that bear their unique signature.

An easy way to increase the size of that signature is to pack your subtitles with opinion . Rather than simply use them to... See more

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 easil

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To make an article more inviting, gently:

• Divide sections using subtitles


• Vary paragraph length


• Vary the tone with asides and snappers


• Use interstitials (quotes, statistics, images)