The Importance of Varying Sentence Length

Varying Sentence Length: 

 

Varying sentence length is important to writing because it keeps the reader interested.  It shows style.  Most of all it shows control.  Take a look at the following examples that may illustrate this point.   A word after a word after a word is power.    

 

-Gary Provost on the Rhythms of Sentence Length       

 

"This sentence has five words.  This is five words too.  Five word sentences are fine.  But several together become monotonous.  Listen to what is happening.  The writing is getting boring.  The sound of it drones.  It's like a stuck record.  The ear demands some variety.  Now listen.  I vary sentence length and I create music.  Music.  The writing sings.  It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt', a harmony.  I use short sentences.  And I use sentences of medium length.  And sometimes when I a certain the reader is rested I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the symbols, and sounds that say listen to this, it is important."                                                                                                         

-Gary Provost