| Size Does Matter | | | | paragraphs wear out the reader, there are simple |
| Ten or so years ago, an editor who was | | | | ways to remedy this. And not always by simply |
| between jobs, and soon thereafter became the | | | | breaking up the material into multiple paragraphs |
| editor-in-chief of a major publisher--where she | | | | of continuing exposition. |
| remains today--took on the project to critique a | | | | One is to insert dialogue. There is no easier way |
| novel I had written. But before she'd read one | | | | to break up a long paragraph than for a character |
| page of my manuscript, she warned me about | | | | to say something. However, this is not always |
| paragraph length; simply, I should be certain my | | | | feasible, so finding a suitable point and breaking up |
| work was written for the most part in short | | | | the paragraph is all that is left as a remedy. But |
| paragraphs. | | | | where? |
| Paragraph Length is of Prime Significance to the | | | | How Long is Too Long? Apply a Simple Test |
| Readability Quotient | | | | We are trained that a paragraph should start and |
| At first I thought it an odd, out-of-place | | | | end a thought. But since sometimes these |
| comment, especially since she'd not yet received | | | | thoughts can be substantial, try this exercise: |
| my manuscript. But then I thought about the | | | | While you're reading a paragraph you've written, |
| Mystery genre in which the book was written and | | | | consider its length as if it's invested in your |
| decided to parse the average paragraph lengths | | | | breathing process. If your breathing suddenly |
| of authors whom my style most closely | | | | becomes labored, and you're still reading the same |
| patterned. I was pleased that my word count | | | | paragraph, determine the point that caused your |
| was, on average, not abnormal. It was not until I | | | | breathing to strain and begin a new paragraph |
| began facilitating writing workshops that I fully | | | | with that sentence. |
| understood why I was given the admonition. | | | | You might have to rearrange a few words, but |
| Paragraphs that are Too Long can Kill Pacing; Try | | | | when you read the new shorter paragraph, check |
| Inserting Dialogue when Realistic | | | | how much easier you are now able to transition |
| One of the first problem areas I noticed with | | | | to the next paragraph. And how much easier you |
| material from budding writers was run-on | | | | happen to be breathing. You may have improved |
| paragraphs. This occurred in dialogue as well as | | | | the manuscript and the health of your readers at |
| exposition, and it destroyed the pace of the | | | | the same time. |
| narrative quicker than any other factor. While long | | | | |