I've been doing a lot of MG reading lately and I'm in the process of editing my own WIP. Paragraph length has been jumping out at me. I've noticed in the books I've been reading that most of the paragraphs run about 2-3 sentences, some are a little longer, but mine seem to be considerably longer. Is there a rule for paragraph length in MG fiction? I'm willing to cut and make my paragraphs tighter but I'm wondering if I need to even worry about it. Help.
Paragraph length in MG?
- Thread starter Azure Skye
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No, there isn't a rule. I've seen MGs with long paragraphs but if they're jumping out at you a lot then it sounds as though you're not breaking them up regularly enough with dialogue or action. Dialogue is crucial to MGs - make sure that if you've got a stonkingly long paragraph of description that you surround it with shorter paragraphs to make it easier to read.
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Have you checked out A Series of Unfortunate Events? Some paragraphs last whole pages (though granted the pages are a little smaller than average). I think the thing with the long paragraph, along with the long chapter is that it can sometimes exhaust the reader. I think there was a comment in the "Stupid things non-writers say" thread about someone's mother who only read books with short paragraphs. Others really like longer stuff. It's all a matter of taste. As ever, the best stories are the ones that use the correct words and method to tell that story. Though I do agree with Moondance, that you do want to make sure for an MG to break things up with dialogue.
Fortunately, I think I have the dialogue thing covered. And actually, I was worried I might have had too much of it.
I'll be doing another run through of my WIP and I'll concentrate on paragraphs.
Thanks for your help.
I'll be doing another run through of my WIP and I'll concentrate on paragraphs.
Thanks for your help.
Para
No rule, but shorter is almost always better than longer. These days, many adult novels have paragraphs no longer the four or five sentennces, and often shorter.
No rule, but shorter is almost always better than longer. These days, many adult novels have paragraphs no longer the four or five sentennces, and often shorter.