CREATING WONDER THROUGH SHORT SENTENCES

4 Benefits of Writing Short Sentences

Here are reasons to write short sentences:

1. Short sentences provide a direct path to your main point. The shortest path
between two objects is a straight line. Think of that axiom when you’re writing. A
verbose sentence will distract readers and bury your main point under unnecessary
words.
2. Short sentences improve readability. Whether you’re writing a novel, a short
story, or a piece of academic writing, you can make your writing more accessible with
short sentences. When sentences are short, the audience can easily understand your
storyline. When readers have to go over lines multiple times to grasp the concept, you
run the risk of losing them altogether.
3. Short sentences are more striking. You don’t have to write long, elaborate
sentences to make an impact. Learning how to make a point in a crisp, short line, is
important for every writer. As you learn how to pare down your excess word usage
and sculpt a sentence, your overall writing skills will improve.
4. Short sentences prevent you from overthinking. Often, when writers are staring
at a blank page wondering what to write, they are most likely overthinking what they
are trying to say. When facing writer’s block, one approach is to step back and think
of how to convey your point in the simplest way.

How to Write Simply: 9 Tips for Writing Short Sentences

Conveying your point in just a few words is a skill every successful writer should master.
Follow these nine writing tips for crafting a short sentence that makes a statement:

1. Start small. The first sentence of your story needs to create INTEREST that makes
your audience want to keep reading. Keep this first sentence, and even your second
sentence, brief to make it punchy and draw the readers in.
2. Think about what you’re trying to say. Make sure every word contributes to the
meaning of the sentence. Keep your main point front and center and support it with
words that are relevant to your message.
3. Cut down your word count. Every single word in a sentence should feel necessary
to your main point. If you have a sentence that is too wordy, it can feel clunky. Look
at what you can cut out to create a smooth, coherent message.
4. Break up long sentences into two or more lines. If you have a sentence that feels
too long, look at how many independent clauses it contains. If a sentence
involves polysyndeton—the repeated use of coordinating conjunctions to connect
different items in a sentence—try replacing conjunctions with commas or semicolons.
Or, simply break the thoughts out into two different sentences.
5. Use the active voice. When writing, use the active voice. In other words, when
writing a sentence, put the subject first and have it perform an action. It is the most
 direct way to write a sentence. The passive voice, when an action happens to a
subject, creates clunky sentences that use more words.
6. Remove unnecessary words. People often write unessential words and phrases. For
example: “In my opinion, I think” could simply be “I think,” and “close proximity”
could instead be just “close.”
7. Lose fluff words. Writers often include unnecessary words in a sentence, like
adverbs and modifiers. Look over every line for those filler words. “I completely
know what you mean” could become “I know what you mean.” If you use the words
“actually” or “totally,” chances are you don’t need them.
8. Write one-word and two-word sentences. In certain literary scenarios, like when
you’re writing character dialogue, it’s stylistically acceptable to be extremely brief
and write sentences with one or two words. Seriously. Try it.
9. Review your work for sentence length. When you’ve completed your first
draft, self-edit your story and review every single sentence. Reviewing your work can
help you catch excess words. One long line isn’t bad. But a book full of them will
weigh your story down. Begin shortening sentences to create clear, concise thoughts.
Before you know it, writing short sentences will come naturally.