4 ms·
I find it so irritating and difficult to read when authors needlessly make most of their paragraphs a single sentence. Or use lots of tiny sentences that read l
by bastawhiz 3y ago
I find it so irritating and difficult to read when authors needlessly make most of their paragraphs a single sentence. Or use lots of tiny sentences that read like fragments. I guess it's to add effect? Except it doesn't read like it's profound, it's just annoying.
Please stop doing this and just write like you talk. Unless that's also how you talk, in which case please just don't do that.
- SV_BubbleTime 3y agoI thought it was funny that it comes off a little pretentious for someone to claim that their ego is now dead.
- orbz 3y agoSome additional context is that Kris Nova, the author, recently passed away so this is somewhat poignant: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37199495 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37199495
- SV_BubbleTime 3y agoIs it poignant? Makes no difference me. Bad writing is bad writing.
- calt 3y agoIMHO it's to add clarity. The white space gives extra separation to statements. It's how I write most of my communication, like statements are lines of code.
- bastawhiz 3y agoIt definitely doesn't add clarity for me. Paragraphs group sentences about an idea. Breaking sentences into paragraphs implies that you're starting a new thought. If you're not, it just makes the writing choppy, and it reads with extra pauses in my inner monologue that I think most people wouldn't have if they were speaking rather than writing.
- xboxnolifes 3y agoI also hate when people wrote code with a blank line between every line.
- coolliquidcode 3y agoLOL, I write emails like this to ensure they get read.
- supriyo-biswas 3y agoIt’s a device used for conveying dramatic feelings in storytelling. You’d never use it in formal communication or technical documents, but there’s no reason to get worked up about it either.
- Wolfenstein98k 3y agoThere is a reason - it's tiresome. It reeks to me (personally) of someone who is really really high on their own supply, and if they were speaking it aloud they'd be using a condescending newsreader voice. Just my $0.02
- while1malloc0 3y agoGiven that the author died last Wednesday—this being her last post is likely why it’s front page of HN—I suspect your writing advice might go ignored in this case.