Let's get a little deeper into line-by-line writing. In this chapter we'll discuss the formation of paragraphs from sentences, the dos and don'ts, and afterward we'll look at three useful but dangerous pieces of punctuation: the semi-colon, the dash, and the ellipsis.
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I don't want to get too technical about sentences or paragraphs. To me, it's more of an art form than a matter of anatomy. As long as you follow the rules or grammar, knowing the types of sentences is a bonus.
So, you know what a sentence is. It ends in a period. How do you combine sentences to make great-sounding paragraphs, though?
The key to a great paragraph is variation within the paragraph itself, and variation from paragraph to paragraph.
Mix short sentences, not like this one I'm writing, with longer and more farraginous sentences like this one. Throw in short sentences. Use simple words sometimes. At other times, try more complex words like farraginous.
Sometimes, reuse a word like 'sometimes' for emphasis. Sometimes you can reuse a word too many times, though, and you'll probably notice so when you edit. Try not to use fancy or unique words too many times, either, especially in close proximity. Farraginous is a neat word, but not if you use it more than once ever probably.
Vary your connecting words, like 'but' and 'though,' and don't use them in back-to-back sentences. Find other ways to say what you're saying. Always look around you and be respective of your other sentences and paragraphs. Mix up how your sentences begin, too, by using adjectives, adverbs, verbs, subjects, and even objects first. Just remember to keep words close to what they modify.
Quick, she ran. Carefully she ducked down. Drawing a fork, she started to eat the salad hidden under the bush, and it surprised her. The salad tasted really great. Tiny tomatoes were scattered across the top.
Single-line paragraphs can be effective.
Just don't overuse them or they lose their energy and power.
No seriously, I mean it.
Lists can be fun and engaging.
Match the paragraphs to the mood of your scene. If you're writing action, use short bursts of words to convey it. Bam, jump to it. If you're writing something drawn out and dismal, use tedious punctuation to your advantage, making the very way you write lugubrious, truly stretching out the moment, making it blue and abysmal, like a drain dripping and never ever stopping.
Exclamation marks are not banned in prose! Although more common in dialogue, why not spice up a sentence very, very occasionally with one? Questions can be even used in the prose portions of your story.
Nothing... is... off-limits. All you want is your reader to stay engaged, and for your style to be true to whatever it is you're writing. To keep things flowing, try to sit down and write for an extended period of time, not in minute-long bursts. This way you can remain more aware of the scene and of your current budget of techniques. Your flow will improve.
But stay weary; there are some tools that can drive your readers crazy; they don't make you a better writer—they're tools to be used when needed—not to be thrown around when a comma or period suffices... Let's talk about some of them...
