Writing Tips for Writers With English As a Second Language

Stop Running! Your sentences are exhausted! (Updated)

Another common error I find is that sentences run on and on and on.

I have seen paragraph long sentences! [And by now, many many many paragraph-long sentences]

Some very good writers write these and I'm asking their permission to use them. Thanks @o0eliza0o . Her book "Death Warrant" has over 1K reads and is intriguing. Since she was generous and kind enough to let me use her sentence so we could help y'all, check out her book! Here is her marathon running sentence:

@o0eliza0o

I have no idea why I shouted but I guess it has to do something with me talking to Chris Ashton on the phone for the first time but I managed to quickly made up a lie as I wanted to avoid any type of involvement with any of them after school

*****

Not to be outdone, @OddSnowBall11, wrote one sentence that was an entire paragraph. Now her ideas are wonderful, the writing humorous, and she, too, was gracious enough to let me use her sentence. Please check out her book "Born To Be Wild". It's a hoot, as we Southerners say.

From time to time I would listen to their conversations, trying to practice my understanding of Chinese that way but my eyes were always focused on my plate and I never spoke about anything at the table.

*****

I know, I know, y'all have wonderful ideas and can't wait to write them down. You should write them down ASAP !!!

But not on Wattpad, if at all possible.

Mind dump - run on sentences- weak verbs - participles- and worse , participle phrases- all are in Mind Dump. That's okay. For a Mind Dump document.

After you use the handy dandy "find" and/or "replace" function of the above errors, it's time to stop the run on sentences.

Ask yourself:

1. Is there an 'and' in this sentence? If so, is it truly needed. Yes, we must have longer sentences with 'and's' and 'buts' so our story doesn't look like a texting exchange but be sparing and creative, my wonderful reader-writers.

2. Are there more than one "and" in the sentence? Must likely, give that poor sentence a rest and break it up into two (or more) sentences.

3. Is there both an "and" and a "but" is this sentence? If so, the sentence is fatigued from running on. Give it a break, literally.

4. Is my sentence a paragraph (or nearly so)? Okay y'all , time to break it up and give it a rest ( I can use the weak verb "give" here since that is an American idiom).

5. [new] Are there more than four verbs in the sentence? Please, break it up!

Whew! I'm tired ! That's enough for now, my lovelies !

Addendum:

The Dragon Editor has been fearlessly chasing down and tackling these running sentences for months now! I've been accused of wanting all short sentences and thus making the book boring. Well, no. And the accuser's sentence had 13 verbs! But her accusation hit home and I've relaxed my standards somewhat. Still, good grammar is good grammar. Please see the above amended rules.

And, I DID find a run on sentence that I just had to write here because it ACTUALLY WORKED! Thanks to the brilliant

Rather_Be_A_Unicorn

In her book "Cursed by the Crown"

"And it is on this beautiful day, as we celebrate the day that marks our hundred year reign over the Crown, that I have the honor of announcing the engagement of my beloved daughter Violet to Robert DeWitt."

Why did this run on sentence work?

One, it was dialogue, which is somewhat more tolerant of run on sentences, especially if you've established that speech pattern for a reason OR the character is frightened or yelling a warning, etc.

Two, the character was making a formal speech, which can be run on.

Three, and best of all, the character was a pompous git of a king that the author had well established was full of himself.

Again, that's all for now, my dears! Keep on writing! The Dragon Editor loves you! [even if I do roar from time to time]