Do I need to make use of paragraphs when writing a novel and if so, how?
This might be a stupid question but I am trying to write a small novel, and my structure just doesn't seem right. The text just flows continuously until the end of the chapter (with dialog being typed on their own lines).
Do I need to make use of paragraphs, and if so:
- Do I just write start a new paragraph after a certain number of lines (if so how many lines would constitute a paragraph)?
OR
- Do I just use indentation at the start of a particular line to mark a new paragraph? I have seen in some novels, the text is structured like I described mine except after a certain number of lines there's an indentation at the start of a line.
This post was sourced from https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/22021. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
2 answers
In a novel it is conventional to start a new paragraph when you change:
-- speaker (yes, every time)
-- place
-- time
-- character
-- topic
You can change the 'meaning' of your text just by where you choose to place a new paragraph.
This post was sourced from https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/22030. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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Like all rules, only break it if you understand why it works, and you're breaking it deliberately to create an effect.
Paragraphs break up the copy into more digestible chunks and make it easier to read. A paragraph can have one to a few thoughts in it, or one thought can be spread over multiple paragraphs.
If you don't use paragraphs, what you're writing is just stream-of-consciousness. This can make it hard to read, because your copy becomes a wall of gray text. Some readers like stream-of-consciousness; some characters need it. It doesn't work for me as a reader, but it may work for you as a writer. You have to write your book and share it with others and get feedback.
If you use paragraphs, the length is dependent mostly on content, with some influence of "rhythm" — your inner ear telling you that this is a natural pause point for a thought.
For formatting, you indent the first line of a paragraph rather than using an extra return.
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