Sometimes, you’re reading something that should make sense—but it doesn’t.
It meanders, shifts, and leaves you feeling a little lost.
You wonder, “What’s the point here?”
It’s like sitting through a conversation with someone who keeps switching topics mid-sentence.
We know… it’s exhausting, right?
What’s actually going wrong here?
That elusive problem, according to writing experts Joseph Bizup and Joseph M. Williams in their book, “Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace,” comes down to this:
Coherence—or rather, the lack of it.
In one of the most insightful excerpts from their work, Bizup and Williams walk readers through the mechanics of what makes a paragraph feel connected, purposeful, and easy to follow.
What’s even better?
They don’t just tell you what works; they also show you why it works, sentence by sentence.
Let’s get into that in detail now…
The Silent Power of Topics and Themes
Bizup and Williams argue that coherence hinges on two foundational ideas: topics and themes.
Sounds simple enough, but these are more than just buzzwords.
A topic is typically a short noun phrase that shows up early in a sentence—most often as the subject.
When you maintain consistency in your topics across a paragraph, your readers feel like they’re following a clear, guided path.
However, when those topics jump around, things get messy.
Take this version of a paragraph discussing Alzheimer’s disease:
“Great strides in the early and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease have been made in recent years. Not too long ago, senility in an older patient who seemed to be losing touch with reality was often confused with Alzheimer’s.
Genetic clues have become the basis of newer and more reliable tests in the last few years, however. The risk of human tragedy of another kind, though, has resulted from the increasing accuracy of these tests: predictions about susceptibility to Alzheimer’s have become possible, long before the appearance of any overt symptoms.
At that point, an apparently healthy person could be devastated by such an early diagnosis.”
What’s the issue here?
The topic keeps shifting—from strides, to senility, to genetic clues, to human tragedy.
Basically, the reader doesn’t know where to anchor their attention. There’s no consistent character or concept carrying the paragraph forward.
Now compare that to this revised and improved version:
“In recent years, researchers have made great strides in the early and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Not too long ago, when a physician examined an older patient who seemed out of touch with reality, she had to guess whether the person was senile or had Alzheimer’s.
In the past few years, however, physicians have been able to use new and more reliable tests focusing on genetic clues. But in the accuracy of these new tests lies the risk of another kind of human tragedy: physicians may be able to predict Alzheimer’s long before its overt appearance, but such an early diagnosis could psychologically devastate an apparently healthy person.”
This time, the paragraph hangs together. Why?
Because it maintains focus on just two consistent topics: researchers/physicians and diagnosis/testing.
The progression makes sense because each sentence connects logically to the next.
Simply said, you’re no longer trying to juggle new characters and concepts with every line. Instead, you’re following a story.
The Magic of Stress Position
Bizup and Williams introduce another crucial concept in their book: The stress position.
This refers to the end of a sentence, where readers naturally expect something important or meaningful.
Here’s the kicker: If you want to highlight key themes that run through a passage, make sure they appear at the end of your opening sentence. That’s the real estate that signals to readers what the paragraph is all about.
Let’s revise that Alzheimer’s passage one more time, this time placing emphasis where it matters most:
“In recent years, researchers have made great strides in the early and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, but those diagnoses have raised a new problem about informing those most at risk who show no symptoms of it.”
This version immediately hints at the heart of the paragraph—not just the science behind diagnosis, but the psychological and ethical dilemma it introduces.
That final phrase—a new problem about informing those most at risk—does all the thematic heavy lifting.
See?
From that one sentence, the rest of the paragraph gains direction.
Bizup and Williams call these repeated and related concepts “themes”—recurring words and ideas that thread through the writing to create unity and resonance.
So, what does coherent writing really look like?
Well, it’s when a writer achieves these three critical effects by using well-placed topics and themes:
- Consistent Topics: The paragraph sticks to the same characters or ideas (e.g., physicians, diagnosis).
- Recurring Themes: The language echoes key concepts, such as testing, mental health, and potential tragedy.
- Purposeful Opening: The introductory sentence previews the core ideas by placing them in the stress position—at the end of the sentence.
When these are all present, a paragraph feels cohesive, intentional, and easy to follow even when tackling complex issues.
Writing that Thinks for the Reader
According to Bizup and Williams:
“If your paragraph is more than five or six sentences long, underline the sentence that best introduces or frames the rest.
Can’t find one? That’s a red flag.
Once you do, circle the words that signal key themes. If those words feel like a “title” for the paragraph, you’re on the right track.”
What Bizup and Williams offer isn’t just advice on style but also guidance on how to make your writing do the thinking for your reader.
By signaling what matters, highlighting it in the right places, and repeating it in strategic ways, your prose doesn’t just inform; it resonates.
So, the next time your writing feels like it’s spiraling, go back to basics:
Clarify your topics, repeat your themes, and make your opening sentences count.
After all, coherence isn’t magic; it’s method … and with the tools from “Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace,” it’s well within your reach.
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Wednesdays: Write with the Pen of the Masters”
Who doesn’t find content writing to be a skill that requires a lot of practice and effort?
In fact, many people may even find copywriting very intimidating.
However, you can be a good writer as long as you have the right tools. You won’t always get things right the first time, but with enough time and practice, you’ll get the hang of it!
When you write copy for any brand or for your company, your aim is to make an impact and…
… to get people to remember.
Getting people to remember means getting consumers to buy your product or avail of your service.
… and when you get your content to deliver the results you want, THAT is great copy!
Every Wednesday, we publish content based on tips and insights from the masters of content writing, copywriting, and storytelling.
Become more familiar with ways to write great copy that helps you gain ROI from your efforts, drive profitability, and achieve your business goals.
Learn time-tested tactics that better capture the attention of your target audience, and maximize the benefits of great copywriting.
Hope you find this week’s insights interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Wednesday’s “Write with the Pen of the Masters!”
Cheers,
Dyane Diasanta
Senior Content Writer
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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