Last verse, like the first

Invoke the beginning at the end to make writing more satisfying

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning,
This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
tip is that the last verse should be like the first.
Writing gets better when you repeat or invoke the beginning

(00:25):
of the work in the end. This feels more satisfying
to the reader, or at least reminds them of what
you said. This week, I am sharing several of my
favorite writing strategies. Even if you don't write for a living,
you might need to write reports or emails or articles

(00:46):
for industry publications. A few strategies can help make all
writing more compelling and clear. Some writing feels more well
constructed than other work. You feel like the writer is
in control and knows what they're doing. One of the
best ways to make readers feel this way is to

(01:08):
repeat or invoke something from the beginning at the end.
So if you are writing an article or op ed
that quotes people or tells stories, you could revisit the
opening anecdote in the conclusion. Even quoting the same person
can echo the beginning. If you're writing an email that

(01:31):
gave some bit of news or a particular greeting in
the opening line, you could mention that again in the
sign off. Using a few of the same words can
approximate this as well. It's not quite so obvious, but
this can still create a sense that you have come
full circle. There's a famous writing principle attributed to Chekhov

(01:55):
that if you introduce a gun in the beginning of
a work, then it needs to go off shortly thereafter.
The idea is that details aren't there for no reason.
Even if they're there mostly for color, they need to
do more work than just appearing Once. I tried to

(02:15):
take that to heart in a novel I wrote where
a random item that the main character sees in an
antique store window and wonders who on earth would buy that,
winds up with that item in the staged home that
she buys in the end. When the last verse is
like the first, the reader knows that you thought about

(02:38):
what you were doing. You thought about the beginning and
made sure to bring things full circle by the end.
When the reader knows that you thought things through, they
give your writing more respect. They are more likely to
listen to what you have to say. Repeating the beginning

(02:58):
is also just more sad us fine as humans like repetition.
Now we don't like too much repetition. That's boring. But
when we come back to the same thing after a journey,
we feel like we've come home. That's why some hymns
have first and fifth verses that are very similar. Now,

(03:22):
I know that you are probably not writing hymns, But
if you are writing an email welcoming someone back from
a vacation and getting them up to speed on something,
mention the vacation again in the closing line. If you
are writing a lighthearted email apologizing for something silly, you

(03:42):
might open with talking about how you have egg on
your face and then sign off with something like still
cleaning up the egg over here. People tend to remember
the endings of things more than the beginnings. We put
a lot of effort into beginnings, but less into the end.
By evoking the beginning at the end, not only is

(04:06):
the end easier to write, people will remember what you said.
You've given them two opportunities, one to raise the idea
and one to cement it. That helps make your point
and just makes people enjoy your writing more. In the meantime,

(04:27):
this is Laura, Thanks for listening, and here's to making the.

Speaker 2 (04:32):
Most of our times. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear
from you. You can send me.

Speaker 1 (04:43):
Your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with
me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod.
That's b E the number four than Breakfast pod. You
can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast Podcasts.
At iHeartMedia dot com that before Breakfast is spelled out

(05:04):
with all the letters. Thanks so much, should I look
forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production
of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.