The Art of Pressing Enter

Open your favorite fiction novel, preferably one that’s been well-edited. Take a look at it, but specifically, look at the paragraph lengths. Chances are, you’re going to see paragraphs of all different lengths: some short, some long, and some miniature. Some will even be right in the middle.

You know what you’ll rarely find—what you’ll never find if the book has been edited by a professional?

Big. Blocks. Of. Text.

Okay, okay. I should never say never. There are exceptions, but this is still good advice, I promise.

If you’re looking at your manuscript and all you see is text, you’re missing something. Good news! It’s not something you have to add or even take away. All you have to do is press enter, thus creating some beautiful white space.

But why white space?

Doesn’t it take up fewer pages if you paragraph less, making it more economical? Well, yes, but—

Do big, chunky paragraphs make you look smarter?

Absolutely not. Creating white space in your book makes a page turner. It gives your readers a place to rest. It can be used to create more tension, to slow down the tension and pacing when you use less of it, and to be honest? It looks easier, and it’s easier to read. Why not let our readers have a good time while devouring our books?

How do I create white space?

Press enter, but you want to ensure you’re paragraphing with intent, right? Here are some good times to press enter.

When you’re building tension, paragraph often. Are they about to kiss? Paragraph more. Are they about to fight? Paragraph more. Is a murderer around the corner? Definitely paragraph more!

Want something to stand out? Put it in its own paragraph.

See, now this point stands out pretty well. We don’t have to worry about readers skimming through a chunky paragraph and losing it. Is the character’s description important? Own line. Did your character find an important object? Own line. Did a new character enter the scene? Own line.

Paragraph whenever someone new speaks or acts. The easiest way to confuse your reader is to keep someone’s dialogue on the line with someone else’s actions. One of the reasons white space can sometimes be lacking is if the story overall lacks dialogue. When I’m developmental editing, and I notice a lack of white space, the first thing I do is check how often characters are actually speaking.

Paragraph whenever the vibe is changing, or a new topic is brought up. This is kind of what we’re taught in school, right? And it still stands. If your character switches from thinking about how beautiful his blue eyes are, to wondering what she wants for lunch… those two things may actually not need to be on the same page, but definitely not on the same paragraph.

Simply paragraph because it looks nice. I’m serious. If you’re writing a long paragraph and nothing needs to stand out, tension is low, no one new is speaking or acting, and it’s all about the same topic… if it gets too big—I’m talking half a page big—break the party up. Aesthetic matters in writing, and this is one way to use it to craft a reader experience.

Is a character giving a big speech? Please, paragraph more, breaking it up into multiple lines. (And big speeches can be used sparingly in most stories, but that’s another topic entirely.)

Always keep the reader experience in mind.

At the end of the day, this is what it comes down to. Look at your Microsoft Word document and find your chunkiest paragraph, especially looking out for the ones that take up half a page or even a quarter. See how much space that is?

Now imagine it in a 5x8 book—even if you’re planning on publishing in a different size, just imagine it.

Now imagine it on an ereader.

Now imagine it on a cellphone. Cellphone readers exist. (I own an ereader, but I’m still one of them.)

Go sprinkle in some paragraphs! I give you permission.

What is your favorite way to use paragraph magic?

PS. Hi, I can help you with this in both developmental and line edits! Check out my services over here.