Does it sing?(Darrell Case) For each short story, novel, or narrative, it must have its own melody. There must be something unique about it. The author may string the words together. It may make logical sense. He or she may write in such a way to tell the story. But there will still be something wrong. It doesn’t feel right. Something doesn’t sound right. It is like listening to a concert with a participant off key.
It may be a word missing, or a word needs to be moved around. For the experienced author, they will sense it. Reading it or listening to someone else read it, the author will feel a catch in the flow. It should be like a melody with no sour notes. Writing and rewriting the author will adjust the narrative. Tightening a string on a fine violin brings the music into focus in a performance. So, each piece of writing has its own rhythm.
Just because a piece doesn’t sound right is not a reason to throw it away and start over. Yet it is a reason to adjust the piece. Sometimes we as writers become flustered. It seems as if we will never get it right. At these times, we look at each sentence in each paragraph. We may have to move sentences or words around. We listen to the words in each passage. Then, like the notes of a melody, we hear a faint sound. This sound may fade away. If it does, we must bring it back. Hook it with another as the music notes of a song. The highs, the lows. The dialogue, the scenes, the excitement, the time we slow down the action. We write and rewrite until it makes its own music. One note flows into another, stringing together. Now it is not just words on a page. The story is a live. The Characters are real. Until, like a fine piece of music, it carries the audience along, making them a part of the story. If you, my friend, can do this, no amount of money or fame is as great a reward as when the reader closes the book with a sigh and smile. Years from now, they may not remember you as the author. However, the people you have penned will still live in their hearts.

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