The document discusses the concept of "flow" in writing. It defines flow as the fluent movement of ideas that keeps readers engaged by continually pulling them forward. It then provides three rules for achieving flow: only state each idea once, vary sentence lengths, and show rather than tell by using strong verbs and nouns instead of adjectives and adverbs. Examples are given to illustrate applying each rule to improve writing by increasing information density and engagement.

1. “flow” in writingflow = fluency = continual movementIn writing, flow means movement of ideas, information, and facts; keep pushing, pulling, enticing or coaxing your reader forward.

2. Flow Rules:Rule #1 Only say it once.Have one new idea per sentence minimum; strive for 2 or more new ideas.Rule # 2 Vary your sentence length.Rule #3 Show; don’t tell.

3. Rule #1 Only say it once.The cat seemed really anxious. He appeared so nervous.Do you need both of those two sentences, together, one after the other?

4. Rule # 1 Have one new idea per sentence minimum; strive for 2 or more new ideas.I have two dogs. One is named Ginger. She is a golden-doodle. She is mostly white. The other is named Puck. He is a schnoodle. He is mostly black.How could I increase the information given in a single sentence?

8. When the storm struck, it wreaked havoc. Huge branches were strewn about, and cars were overturned.How much information did you learn in those sentences?

9. Rule # 2 Vary your sentence length.My son is weary of being the shortest in our household. He has had the largest feet for a while. We have been measuring our heights back to back recently. Finally, at our last measuring, he had grown 1/2” taller than I. He said, “I’m still emotionally shorter than you.” I was amused and touched. A week later, he said, “I’m not emotionally shorter than you anymore.” I wondered what had changed. 11, 9, 10, 12, 8, 5, 11, 5

10. Rule # 2 Vary your sentence length. My son has had the largest feet in our household for a few months now. Still, he despaired of being the shortest, so he and I had been measuring our heights back to back. At our last measure, he was 1/2” taller than I. He said, “I’m still emotionally shorter than you.” I was amused and touched. A week later, when he said, “I’m not emotionally shorter than you anymore,” I wondered what had changed.15, 19, 10, 8, 5, 18

11. Rule #3 Show; don’t tell.Mark Twain said,“Don’t say the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream.”Use strong nouns and verbs; don’tload your writing with adjectives and adverbs.

12. I was really very hot.VsSweat dripped off my glasses.

13. His cheeks turned red.VsHe was embarrassed.

14. The young boy ran really quickly down to the seashore and was so tired when he got there he actually lay down on the beach.VsThe youth tore to the seashore, then collapsed in the sand.

15. My Dad’s Heart Attack It was a beautiful morning down in Hull. I was at my beach house, it was a sunny morning, and it was a warm day. I had just woke up and I was eating my breakfast when my dad came in from his daily run. He was looking a little baffled, or course I took no mind to it, and he looks baffled a lot. I over heard my parents talking in the kitchen.The morning sun was shining at my beach house in Hull. As I was eating my breakfast, my dad came in from his daily run looking a little baffled. He looks baffled a lot, so I barely noticed, but then I overheard my parents talking in the kitchen.

16. process:Write it.Read it.Diagnose it.Revise it.Diagnose it.Revise it.