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Q&A Indent dialogue to make text look less blocky

If your paragraph is a gray wall of text, break it up where it makes sense. You aren't required to break it only on dialogue. And trim your narration too: A figure under the box moved behind Pr...

posted 6y ago by Lauren Ipsum‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-13T12:00:46Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/34781
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T08:28:06Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/34781
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T08:28:06Z (over 4 years ago)
If your paragraph is a gray wall of text, break it up where it makes sense. You aren't required to break it _only_ on dialogue. And trim your narration too:

> A figure under the box moved behind Professor. John yelled “Professor! Watch out!” Professor didn't hear him.
> 
> John had no choice. He leapt forward and tackled the shadow looming behind his mentor. They crashed to the ground in a tangle of flailing limbs. He couldn't get his bearings enough for a proper attack, and punched and kicked at the mystery figure in desperation.
> 
> From the other side of the room, a woman shouted "STOP!" Professor cried out something in response, but John couldn't make it out.

Each paragraph is a small _beat_, or a moment or thought. You can have longer beats and shorter beats. Vary them to help your readability.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-04-03T10:12:00Z (about 6 years ago)
Original score: 3