Fashioning good paragraphs is a learned skill. Knowing exactly when to lengthen a paragraph and when to break it up can leave a marked difference in how easy to follow your writing becomes.
The first rule, as you’re probably aware, is to stick to one topic per paragraph. If you’re going to go with two or more, make sure there is a larger context that ties them in together. This will keep your paragraphs from being an unfocused mess without any clear direction.
If you’re still struggling with the concept, you can use these “triggers” as guideposts to know when its time to start a new paragraph:
- When you’re switching to a new idea.
- When you need to highlight an important point. Crucial ideas need to appear either at the beginning or at the end of a paragraph to maximize their impact.
- When you need to show a change in setting (e.g. a new time, a new place).
- When you need to emphasize a contrast (for comparison statements).
- When you’re quoting a different source than the one prominently in the current paragraph.
- When readers need an opportunity to pause (like after a long, complicated discussion).
- When you need to break up a dense block of text.
When in doubt, you can also try securing the help of your favorite writing software. While there’s no guarantee, they could recognize overly-long constructions that you can then look into as potential areas for breaking up into separate paragraphs.
