How do you avoid unnatural sounding language?

While we may be able to break down a successful long sentence analytically, I'm not sure that this is going to help you write them fluently. Language is about rhythm and balance and how the reader's focus is directed. I think that has to come from training your ear.

The best way to train your ear is to read writers who are noted stylists. You don't necessarily have to aspire to the same facility with languages as the greats, but if you want to develop the kind of ear for language that will let you write a long sentence with fluidity and grace, you need to immerse yourself in that kind of language, in the works of writers who do it superlatively well. And read with attention, roll the language around on your tongue and get the taste of it. You train your ear by immersion, but by purposeful and attentive immersion.

Also, consider that a good long sentence is one that is naturally long. You probably will not notice how long it is as you write it, nor as you read it. Artificially long sentences are always going to sound awkward and contrived. Naturally long sentences are going to result from saying something sophisticated or nuanced, something that demands more that a few words to tease out it subtlety. So I would suggest that a determination to write long sentences is misplaced. Rather, determine to write something with the kind of subtlety or precision that sometimes requires long sentences, and don't worry about whether the sentences that result are long or short.

posted about 8 years ago

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Mark Baker‭

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