The Mighty Word's Guide to Good Writing
Part Four - A clean break: the power of the full stop
I’m sure you have a lot to say. That’s good – it shows you have a teeming brain whose contents should be delivered to the world for its benefit. But what might work well in conversation rarely works well in writing. Cramming your thoughts into long, unformed sentences filled with lots of clauses is the mark of a writer who hasn’t realised that the outpourings of inspiration must be shaped, crafted and translated. Here is the opening paragraph to my book about Laura Riding. The first is a single sentence. The second is divided into four sentences.
One dynamic method drove the genius of Laura Riding: its presence defines all stages of her writing life – if one is unaware of it or does not engage with it, one cannot successfully interpret her poetry and understanding it allows the reader to make sense of her writings and beyond; it also sheds light on the pivotal events of her life.
One dynamic method drove the genius of Laura Riding. Its presence defines all stages of her writing life. If one is unaware of it or does not engaged with it, one cannot successfully interpret her poetry. Understanding it allows the reader to make sense of her writings and beyond. It also sheds light on the pivotal events of her life.
The second version allows each statement to be understood by the reader before another is introduced. The meaning of each version is exactly the same, but the second is far clearer because it does not expect the reader to take in a large amount of information before pausing; before organising the ideas into a single unit of thought. Sentences can be intimately linked, and can complete or qualify the information being given – as in the last two sentences above. This is often a more effective way of constructing an argument or telling a story, because it allows the reader to ‘stack up’ each new piece of information after they have assimilated the ideas that came before, forming them into a solid foundation upon which those that follow are built.
Knowing when to end the sentence and start a new one comes with practice – but it also comes with careful reflection as you write, and looking back over what you have written. Revising your work is important and allows you to learn valuable lessons. Make sure you take the time to assess your writing. Cast a keen eye over it and change it according to the golden rules of simplicity and clarity.
Next: To break or not to break: sentences and clauses
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