Fluency is Extremely Important

When I look at a potential new project, I start first with that premise. This is the information you give to me in your query letter or your pitch about your story. Time and time again, I hear these great story ideas. Writers continually amaze me.

And then...

I get to the actual writing...

And it is not good.

The problem for so many authors comes down to the fluency of the writing. I pulled a quick definition from the internet that sums it up nicely.

In composition, fluency is a general term for the clear, smooth, and seemingly effortless use of language in writing or speech. 

Too, often, the great idea and premise that author promised me is muddled down in writing that simply does not flow off the page smoothly. The writing becomes a chore. Sentences are complicated. Word use is just not efficient. Paragraphs are either too short or too long. Chapters are not appropriately broken down. The list goes on and on.

When I talk about fluency, I always like to refer to James Joyce's FINNEGAN'S WAKE. This is one of those books that I have wanted to read for so long, but, as many of you know, it is not easy. Take a look at this sample from CHAPTER 1

    riverrun, past Eve and Adam's, from swerve of shore to bend

of bay, brings us by a commodius vicus of recirculation back to

Howth Castle and Environs.

    Sir Tristram, violer d'amores, fr'over the short sea, had passen-

core rearrived from North Armorica on this side the scraggy

isthmus of Europe Minor to wielderfight his penisolate war: nor

had topsawyer's rocks by the stream Oconee exaggerated themselse

to Laurens County's gorgios while they went doublin their mumper

all the time: nor avoice from afire bellowsed mishe mishe to

tauftauf thuartpeatrick: not yet, though venissoon after, had a

kidscad buttended a bland old isaac: not yet, though all's fair in

vanessy, were sosie sesthers wroth with twone nathandjoe. Rot a

peck of pa's malt had Jhem or Shen brewed by arclight and rory

end to the regginbrow was to be seen ringsome on the aquaface.

    The fall (bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonner-

ronntuonnthunntrovarrhounawnskawntoohoohoordenenthur-

nuk!) of a once wallstrait oldparr is retaled early in bed and later

on life down through all christian minstrelsy. The great fall of the

offwall entailed at such short notice the pftjschute of Finnegan,

erse solid man, that the humptyhillhead of humself prumptly sends

an unquiring one well to the west in quest of his tumptytumtoes:

and their upturnpikepointandplace is at the knock out in the park

where oranges have been laid to rust upon the green since dev-

linsfirst loved livvy.

 Get the idea?

There is nothing wrong with challenging a reader, but if the reader is giving up because of the complexity of the story, you simply will not get the sales you are looking for. You might just love what you just wrote, but take the time to go through the story afterwards. Read it out loud. See what you think. Even better, have someone else read it to you. You might be shocked at what you hear.