There are many many nuggets here, thank you! While I believe in and use paragraphs :) I also write the one sentence at a time you speak to as a problem. I don’t take issue, I know grammatically you are right, but I use this style for the reason you state here: “That’s because the mind pauses in between subsequent paragraphs, just as the breath pauses in between each inhale and exhale.” It’s that pause I’m after.
I’m totally with you on the paragraphs! I do use them, but sometimes I feel like a sentence or a pair of sentences need to be their own paragraph to really be effective!
You may want to be a writer, but reconsider. It's not a decision you make. It makes you. If you find yourself telling stories in your mind like you're whistling a tune for the hell of it, just passing time amusing yourself, then writing has chosen you. It really isn't something we decide.
But what if the conviction haunts the mind, won't go away, keeps rising up? As with anything from the subconscious that keeps returning, it's sending a message. There are some singers with gravelly non-melodic voices who redefine in their own case what a real singer is (ie. Leonard Cohen, Joe Cocker). So who knows what a real writer is? An aspiring writer can literally redefine that.
Thank you so much for this, Lynda! Your explanation makes complete sense, and perhaps this writing style is a new phenomenon in our culture that I should be more open to.
Thank you so much for your kind feedback and support!
Resurrecting paragraphs brought a big smile to my face. The one-sentence approach is just appeasing the gods of the one-minute attention span that is endemic to our society today.
Thank you Jen for this advice. It helps to continue on my journey of writing. I personally write intuitively. There are many styles of writing, and looking for perfection you remove yourself from the experience. Short of long is of preference. It's all about going with what makes you feel good in your heart.
Best advice I ever got from my college writing mentor was to read everything and especially read in the genre or genres you most wanted to learn. I remember in my highly-ranked MFA program (before they were so widely depised) someone proudly telling me he never read anything before Kerouac. I asked him if he thought Kerouac followed the same path. :-)
You may want to be a writer, but reconsider. It's not a decision you make. It makes you. If you find yourself telling stories in your mind like you're whistling a tune for the hell of it, just passing time amusing yourself, then writing has chosen you. It really isn't something we decide.
But what if the conviction haunts the mind, won't go away, keeps rising up? As with anything from the subconscious that keeps returning, it's sending a message. There are some singers with gravelly non-melodic voices who redefine in their own case what a real singer is (ie. Leonard Cohen, Joe Cocker). So who knows what a real writer is? An aspiring writer can literally redefine that.
Sometimes we choose to write for the joy of writing and sometimes we must say the things inside us. I find liberation and freedom when I write. I find validation when someone responds to my work.
I have no ambition to be published; my reader’s response is all I need. Substack is a great platform for that to happen, although I understand that Substack could not exist if all writers shared my attitude, or maybe we free writers add a little extra that makes Substack more appealing to readers.
Thanks Jen. Ah to be a writer. Sometimes just adding that label feels like an extra weight. Sharing poetry, it’s really difficult to jump to the second and third person. We definitely write from ourselves. Who to? The writing might just be a mirror through which we are looking at ourselves in dancing with the collective “I” that connects us all in the present. In the end we write because we have to. In the spaces between those words in some sense we are set free. Bless you.
Yes, if you don't need to write, then really, spare yourself the pain of it. The need may only arise occasionally, & that's fine.
I realized recently I could 'teach' courses on writing, on all aspects of it, especially on structure & narrative voice. Does that knowledge of the 'how' of writing help me? No, no, brutally no. It inhibits me if anything.
So what's my point? What you must have is the child-like wonder, & them adding an adult knowledge of how to that certainly helps. But the reverse doesn't wash at all. I guess this is obvious, but it wasn't for me.
Is there 'way of wonder', a way to gently summon or invite it? I hope so. That's where I am now, experimenting with that. If you do have that, give thanks every day.
I’m here because you shared your wonderful success of 70 paid subscribers and I had to check out your work! It is delightful! Thank you for sharing! ❤️❤️❤️
Jen, THANK YOU for making the point about paragraphs, it peeves me off too, that and not using capital letters at the beginning of sentences 😂 Also, why are we not using semi colons anymore?!
In all seriousness, I think the lack of paragraphs is a tech bro simplicity fad. Or perhaps it’s a way to ween people on to reading long pieces in the attention economy?
There are many many nuggets here, thank you! While I believe in and use paragraphs :) I also write the one sentence at a time you speak to as a problem. I don’t take issue, I know grammatically you are right, but I use this style for the reason you state here: “That’s because the mind pauses in between subsequent paragraphs, just as the breath pauses in between each inhale and exhale.” It’s that pause I’m after.
I’m totally with you on the paragraphs! I do use them, but sometimes I feel like a sentence or a pair of sentences need to be their own paragraph to really be effective!
You may want to be a writer, but reconsider. It's not a decision you make. It makes you. If you find yourself telling stories in your mind like you're whistling a tune for the hell of it, just passing time amusing yourself, then writing has chosen you. It really isn't something we decide.
But what if the conviction haunts the mind, won't go away, keeps rising up? As with anything from the subconscious that keeps returning, it's sending a message. There are some singers with gravelly non-melodic voices who redefine in their own case what a real singer is (ie. Leonard Cohen, Joe Cocker). So who knows what a real writer is? An aspiring writer can literally redefine that.
David Byrne comes to mind too., not raspy, but unique.
I love this and totally agree. Thanks so much for sharing, Stephen
“Stronger in the End: My 70 Year Swim from Chaos to Calm” (my new book) is written entirely in single sentences without paragraphs.
I believe “the billboards” of social media have literally changed the way we read and think.
Because of this phenomenon, I intentionally “broke form” in writing “Stronger in the End.”
You have written a beautiful love letter to writing, one of my best friends!
I appreciate your writing very much.
Thank you so much for this, Lynda! Your explanation makes complete sense, and perhaps this writing style is a new phenomenon in our culture that I should be more open to.
Thank you so much for your kind feedback and support!
Muchas gracias!
Resurrecting paragraphs brought a big smile to my face. The one-sentence approach is just appeasing the gods of the one-minute attention span that is endemic to our society today.
Brilliant! Thank you.
Thank you Jen for this advice. It helps to continue on my journey of writing. I personally write intuitively. There are many styles of writing, and looking for perfection you remove yourself from the experience. Short of long is of preference. It's all about going with what makes you feel good in your heart.
💛
About 6 weeks ago, I did just what you described https://open.substack.com/pub/jimkucher?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=3gcwd
And now I have subscribed to your wonderful Substack! Best wishes with your awesome work!
Love this advice, Jen. I’m so glad to see you thriving and honored to be an early supporter! ❤️
Best advice I ever got from my college writing mentor was to read everything and especially read in the genre or genres you most wanted to learn. I remember in my highly-ranked MFA program (before they were so widely depised) someone proudly telling me he never read anything before Kerouac. I asked him if he thought Kerouac followed the same path. :-)
I love this 💛
You may want to be a writer, but reconsider. It's not a decision you make. It makes you. If you find yourself telling stories in your mind like you're whistling a tune for the hell of it, just passing time amusing yourself, then writing has chosen you. It really isn't something we decide.
But what if the conviction haunts the mind, won't go away, keeps rising up? As with anything from the subconscious that keeps returning, it's sending a message. There are some singers with gravelly non-melodic voices who redefine in their own case what a real singer is (ie. Leonard Cohen, Joe Cocker). So who knows what a real writer is? An aspiring writer can literally redefine that.
But we do decide whether to pursue it actively as a career and get published.
For every one successful published fiction writer there are 9 struggling aspiring writers, tormenting themselves. Let it be, if it chooses to be.
Sometimes we choose to write for the joy of writing and sometimes we must say the things inside us. I find liberation and freedom when I write. I find validation when someone responds to my work.
I have no ambition to be published; my reader’s response is all I need. Substack is a great platform for that to happen, although I understand that Substack could not exist if all writers shared my attitude, or maybe we free writers add a little extra that makes Substack more appealing to readers.
Thanks Jen. Ah to be a writer. Sometimes just adding that label feels like an extra weight. Sharing poetry, it’s really difficult to jump to the second and third person. We definitely write from ourselves. Who to? The writing might just be a mirror through which we are looking at ourselves in dancing with the collective “I” that connects us all in the present. In the end we write because we have to. In the spaces between those words in some sense we are set free. Bless you.
Yes, if you don't need to write, then really, spare yourself the pain of it. The need may only arise occasionally, & that's fine.
I realized recently I could 'teach' courses on writing, on all aspects of it, especially on structure & narrative voice. Does that knowledge of the 'how' of writing help me? No, no, brutally no. It inhibits me if anything.
So what's my point? What you must have is the child-like wonder, & them adding an adult knowledge of how to that certainly helps. But the reverse doesn't wash at all. I guess this is obvious, but it wasn't for me.
Is there 'way of wonder', a way to gently summon or invite it? I hope so. That's where I am now, experimenting with that. If you do have that, give thanks every day.
I’m here because you shared your wonderful success of 70 paid subscribers and I had to check out your work! It is delightful! Thank you for sharing! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you so much, Rebecca! 💛
Absolutely love this and agree with your thoughts. You even sparked an idea which I had to put down your post to write out before returning 💚
Love when that happens!
great tips especially #2!
Jen, THANK YOU for making the point about paragraphs, it peeves me off too, that and not using capital letters at the beginning of sentences 😂 Also, why are we not using semi colons anymore?!
In all seriousness, I think the lack of paragraphs is a tech bro simplicity fad. Or perhaps it’s a way to ween people on to reading long pieces in the attention economy?
I like the short paragraphs but my attention span is short lol. Great piece though!