Plot & structure · Tip 29 of 82 · 4 min read
Paragraphs: Give Your Reader a Breather
Learn when to start a new paragraph, and how to speed up or slow down your story.
Imagine reading a whole page with no breaks, just one giant block of words. Phew! It would be exhausting. Paragraphs split your story into bite-sized chunks.
When to start a new paragraph
Remember TiPToP: start a new paragraph when you change the...
- Time: "The next morning..."
- Place: "Back at the castle..."
- Topic: when something new happens
- Person: when a new character speaks or the focus moves to someone else
Paragraphs control speed
This is called pacing. Long paragraphs slow the reader down, which is great for describing a beautiful place. Short paragraphs speed the reader up, which is great for action!
The floor shook. Then again. THUD. Something huge was coming down the corridor, and it was coming fast.
Each short line makes the reader's eyes jump down the page, so the scene feels quick and tense.
The garden was quiet in the early morning. Dew sparkled on every leaf, a blackbird hopped along the wall, and the smell of fresh bread drifted over from the bakery next door. Lily sat on the swing and let her feet trail through the wet grass.