ClearTips: Powerful paragraphs
Imply the point in a series of details or examples
Most writers imply too many of their points—which their
readers, bewildered, fail to infer. But having one point-led paragraph
after another can get monotonous. So, when it's really possible to get
a point across without stating it, give your reader some relief—and
credit for being able to figure things out.
For one thing, Milan is shrinking-the population has fallen
from 1.6m in 1981 to 1.3m today. The economy, which boomed in the 1980s,
is dozier. Unemployment, now 8%, has been rising. In 1994-95, the number
of businesses rose by only 2%, compared with 35% for Italy as a whole.
Although Milan is home to five good universities and has far more head
offices of multinationals than any other city in Italy, it is struggling
to attract new blood. Even in areas of traditional strength—fashion,
banking, publishing, advertising and high technology—Milan is losing
its grip. Buildings once started seem to remain unfinished for ever.
Prostitution is spreading.
Point: Milan is losing its power economically and intellectually.
[Meteorite] specimens prized for their beauty or rare
composition can sell for more than $500 a gram (barely one twenty-eighth
of an ounce), while meteorites from Mars, only 12 of which are known
to have been recovered, go for more than $1,000 a gram. Mr. Killgore's
daily harvest on a recent trip to the Chilean desert was $2,000 in meteorite
nuggets.
Point: Meteorite specimens are rising in value.
This kind of paragraph needs strong details to hold
it up. The point should begin to be obvious in the first or second detail
and should be confirmed by the rest—don't keep your reader guessing.
If the details cannot stand on their own, you can
easily make the point explicit and put it at the beginning or the end.
Back to Powerful paragraphs
• Next
|