The Beginning and the End in Writing: A Dancer's Note
There's a common saying in the dance world, “The beginning and the end are the most important parts of your dance.” And why is that you may ask? Well, when you put a dance onto the competition floor, your job is to impress the judges in every aspect. But you can only do that if you hook them in with your first impression. Without a strong start, your judges will automatically decide the fate of how they look at the rest of your routine. They might even check out and decide it’s not worth their time.
If you hook them in, your next most important check point is the end. Sure, the middle matters too but by the end, you ask yourself, “Did I leave my heart and soul on the stage?” and if the answer is yes, the judges will have noticed. With a strong and meaningful conclusion, you leave a lasting impression. Which then will also affect how the judges go in and score your routine. You want to leave them wanting more, to be thinking about the message you sent through your movements.
So, the big question, why am I bringing this up? Through having been trained to start and end everything with strength and power, I have easily translated that discipline into everything I do. Especially in my writing, something all writers should focus on too.
Don’t let your reader be the one that got away, start off strong with a hook that is sure to keep them reading. From the first sentence, to the second, and then to the third. Your lead should give your audience a taste of what they are going to read and should capture their attention in a way that makes them want to stick around. By the time the reader has reached the end, Author William Zinsser sends the reminder that you want to make sure you’ve tied your writing up in a nice bow but leave the audience with a lasting impression. Something that makes them want more.
Implementing this practice in other areas such as your writing will boost your ability to capture your audience. Don’t let people believe your writing isn’t worth their time, set the stage and hook them in. Then, leave your heart and soul on the page while you tie everything up in a nice bow. So, take this word of advice from the dance community, the beginning and the end are the most important pieces.