Hi there. Welcome to Chapter Three. My name is Una. I'm going to be talking about Sentence Length. It is a very important tool. I use it when writing.
Are you bored yet? I certainly am. Every sentence in that beginning paragraph was roughly the same length, and reading through it sounds like you're reading a shipping forecast. Not what you want readers of your books to think. Varying sentence length is vital if you want your book to seem fast-paced and exciting.
EXAMPLE 1
Jane was running. Her feet hurt terribly. The branches on the forest floor cut her soles. She could hear her footsteps echoing. She turned her head to look behind her. There wasn't anyone there. She kept going.
Y A W N. Let's try it again, but with sentences of varying lengths.
Jane was running. Her feet were screaming out in pain as they slapped against the sharp branches of the forest floor, jagged roots tearing at her soles. Her footsteps echoed around her, the only noise besides her laboured breathing. She turned her head behind her, searching the area for the sign of her assailant, but could see nothing but darkness. She kept going.
There's a massive difference between the first and the second attempts at that paragraph. In the second, the writing seems to flow much easier, it isn't constantly stopping and starting. You'll notice that not all of the sentences are long and complex, I kept the beginning and end sentences the same, at three words each. Sometimes a short sentence can give a real impact, just make sure you surround it by sentences of a different length.
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Writing tips and tricks
NonfiksiAS REQUESTED Do you feel like your writing isn't getting better, no matter how much you practice? Are your books not getting as many views and votes as you would like? Hopefully, I can help with that. In this book, I draw on my experience both wri...
