Here’s the fourth in a series of articles about so-called writing rules. Many rules have a basis in reason, while others seem as though they were invented by authoritative trolls who don’t have a grasp on reality.
I’ll provide my opinion — then you decide. Are these rules realistic or illogical?
See also The Master List of So-called “Rules” for Writers.
Rule 15: Never Use Over to Mean More Than
One of Google’s definitions for over: “higher than or more than (a specified number or quantity).”
Merriam-Webster, Cambridge Dictionary, Macmillan Dictionary, Collins Dictionary, The Synonym Finder, and other lexicographers agree.
In 2010, The Chicago Manual of Style embraced over to mean more than, and The Associated Press Stylebook followed suit in 2014.
If your fuddy-duddy editor insists on more than instead of over, you must decide whether this is a battle you need to win. However, now you have some ammunition if you feel the need to protest.
Rule 16: Chapters Should Be Between 3000 and 5000 Words
Most adults read 200 to 250 words per minute.
Employing 200 wpm as a metric, a 3000-word chapter will take 15 minutes to finish, and a 5000-word chapter will require 25. University students tend to read faster. Recreational readers of fiction often read slower, taking time to immerse themselves in the ambience, look up unfamiliar words, and mull over hidden meanings or clues.
Our modern routines become busier every year, sometimes providing only short periods in which to read. Many people will seize a few minutes during a bathroom break, while they wait for their coffee to brew, or as they stand in line at the bank. During that time, they might read 1000 to 1500 words, so it seems logical to keep chapters shorter.
Or …
Divide each chapter into several segments. Time jumps, POV shifts, scene changes, etc. provide ideal opportunities for section breaks. Once readers know your writing style, they’ll continue through the current section even if their e-reader shows several minutes remaining in the chapter.
This technique allows writers the flexibility to include longer chapters when it suits their narrative or style.
The Writer’s Lexicon series
and additional resources on my Facebook page.
Rule 17: Sentences Should Be ## to ## Words Long
No, the # signs aren’t typos. Depending on the source, this rule varies:
- Sentences should be between 15 and 20 words.
-
Sentences should be between 20 and 30 words.
-
Sentences should never be longer than 25 words.
-
Never use long sentences.
-
Never use single-word sentences.
What?
Oops! I just broke the rule about single-word sentences.
If you scan through this post, you’ll notice I’ve broken all the sentence-length rules. Can you imagine how boring it would be if every sentence were the same length?
Writing is like music — with fast and slow rhythms. Compose a sentence. Then another with more words. Or less. You’ll create a rhythm that suits your narrative. No sentence in this paragraph is longer than ten words. Should I rewrite it?
However, analyzing the rule about never using long sentences:
Some authors create sentences full of lengthy phrases and purple prose that go on and on and on ad infinitum and make you want to grab a noose to hang around your neck because they never seem to end and you wonder if you’ll remember the first part of the longwinded expanse of words when you finally get to the last part of it.
Phew, seventy-two words. Could you go through that entire sentence without taking a breath? Try it.
If you read your work out loud at least once, you’ll notice the interminable stretches of text that leave you gasping for air. Break them into smaller sentences if need be, or remove redundancies and stacked modifiers.
Rule 18: Paragraphs Should Always Be 100 to 200 Words
Really?
The preceding paragraph contained a single word. Would it have had the same effect if I had placed it at the beginning of this paragraph and included padding to increase the word count?
The paragraph below contains 100 words.
This is a paragraph. By the time I’m finished, it’ll be 100 words. It will become a block of text, without white space, that may fatigue the eye. At the previous period I did a word count: less than 30 words. That means I have to keep writing to reach the ridiculous goal of 100 words. Now I’m at 56. See what I mean? I could have broken this into reasonable chunks, but I’m not allowed to because some so-called expert or professor or critique group insists that I have to conform to some sort of mold they deem imperative.
I made it to 100 words. Imagine how the paragraph would look if it were doubled in size. Would you like to see? I’ll copy and paste it twice below:
This is a paragraph. By the time I’m finished, it’ll be 100 words. It will become a block of text, without white space, that may fatigue the eye. At the previous period I did a word count: less than 30 words. That means I have to keep writing to reach the ridiculous goal of 100 words. Now I’m at 56. See what I mean? I could have broken this into reasonable chunks, but I’m not allowed to because some so-called expert or professor or critique group insists that I have to conform to some sort of mold they deem imperative. This is a paragraph. By the time I’m finished, it’ll be 100 words. It will become a block of text, without white space, that may fatigue the eye. At the previous period I did a word count: less than 30 words. That means I have to keep writing to reach the ridiculous goal of 100 words. Now I’m at 56. See what I mean? I could have broken this into reasonable chunks, but I’m not allowed to because some so-called expert or professor or critique group insists that I have to conform to some sort of mold they deem imperative.
Jan Tschichold, a calligrapher, typographer, and book designer said, “White space is to be regarded as an active element, not a passive background.”
John Burroughs, an American naturalist and nature essayist, said, “In the printed page the only real things are the paper and the ink; the white spaces play the same part in aiding the eye to take in the meaning of the print as do the black letters.”
Please, please, please scrap this rule.
I’d love to find the people who invented it and hang them upside down by the toes.
See also The Master List of So-called “Rules” for Writers.
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The Writer’s Lexicon series
and additional resources on my Facebook page.
As I looked up if there were rules about paragraphing in writing, I ended up reading rule 18.
Better find myself a way through the overwhelming and almost impenetrable forest of words.
I need to take my machete, chop myself a way through, give the readers a clear path, so they will find joy in reading my story.
Sometimes we have to chop the words we work the hardest to put on the page. The tribulations of being a writer, right? 🙂
Good luck, Marian, and please stay safe!
Phew! Feels good to read another set of rules chaining we writers.
About a week ago, someone in my writing group attacked me when I said my chapters are 3k word length. He said standardly, I should have 5k words and nothing less. I was like, “wow. But I don’t really fuss over word count. I write what’s needed to tell the story if a chapter.” Others joined in and I’m glad they said quite the same. Honestly, I’m angered when someone says a chapter should never be less than 5k words. What for? Write whatever tells the story. I agree this might be standard, but I find the rule generic and restraining. Writing is an art, how exciting would it be when you can’t control the way it goes?
I’ve never obeyed Rule 17 and 18. Lol. I just make sure my sentences are not too long and run into each other while my paragraphs don’t fall too long too.
Seriously, these things shouldn’t be based on word count. But on their purpose. Write the number of words that a paragraph/sentence needs to have to tell its own part of the story.
Well, this might sound novice-like cause it’s coming from a novice, but this is how I believe writing should be.
Someone claimed that a chapter should never be less than 5000 words? Here’s some ammunition for you, Yaqub — short chapters (I’ll quote them in their entirety) from well-known books: Ten chapters, all containing one sentence each, including some one-word sentences. The total word count is fifty-five. That means they break every “rule” about sentence, paragraph, and chapter length.
*****
Misery, Stephen King: “Rinse.”
As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner: “My mother is a fish.”
Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, Lewis Carroll: “And it really was a kitten after all.”
It, Stephen King: “Nothing much happened for the next two weeks.”
Nobody True, James Herbert: “About ten minutes later there was a knock on the door.”
Gremlins, George Gipe: “Pete forgot.”
Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury: “Nothing much else happened that night.”
Misery, Stephen King: “Paulie, can you?”
Blood Magic, Tessa Gratton: “I am Josephine Darly, and I intend to live forever.”
Angela’s Ashes, Frank McCourt: “T’is.”
*****
Your opinion of word counts and their importance is excellent, Yaqub. Good luck with your writing!
Hi Miss Kathy
Yikes! Never ending rules for writers. Ack! Now I’m supposed to count words in chapters, paragraphs and sentences. Oh man, hope I’m not “over” the recommended amount? Makes me feel like giving up writing when the rules seem more important than my story or characters.
Reading out loud works best for me. I automatically know when a sentence or paragraph is too long. I know when a paragraph should stop and a new one should begin. And, I know when stuff isn’t working, and needs to be rewritten or tossed out. Sometimes I make my family listen (not voluntarily) and I watch to see if they’re interested or bored. If someone says, “Huh?” or says “Geez, Lenny, that makes no sense” or says it’s too long, I know what needs fixing. Mostly, they say “Hurry up, we’re hungry.” Ha ha.
If I ever get close to submitting something, I’ll do some word counting, but, for now, I’d rather write than count.
I love your posts, but don’t always follow your good advice. I’m a rule rebel. Lol.
Ha ha, Lenny. You made me laugh with your description of your family. I never thought of reading out loud to someone else, but it seems like a wonderful way to get honest feedback.
Good luck with your writing!
We (historical fiction writers) were just discussing this subject recently, We agreed that many of the “rules” offered these days may apply to action or mysteries. Contemporary editors tell writers to cut back on describing the setting, but our stories need setting details. The setting often takes on the role of a character. The length of sentences is significant, too. With long, flowing, lyrical prose one can lead the reader into delightful space, and then come crashing down with a jolt, an impact, with maybe a one-word bomb. What we are looking at is what effect are we attempting to produce and how do we do it?
Excellent observations, Marvin.
However, settings in historical fiction don’t need to be as detailed as they once were — when people didn’t have access to television, YouTube, and other modern resources. Many readers back then didn’t know what things looked like, because they lived in small villages or on farms.
Thanks for stopping by!
Rules are made to be understood, then broken at need 🙂
Agreed, Simone.
We can learn all the letters in The quick red fox jumps over the lazy brown dog, and then combine the letters — with different punctuation, grammar, and form. Books would be boring if we all wrote the same way.
These are great posts Kathy. Keep them coming.
Thanks, Chris! Nice to hear from you.
If it’s grammatically correct, that’s what I aim for, but save me from the pedants and fuss-pots. I usually…know when I have erred and correct it. I am not perfect – who is? I have read enough errors written by the ‘professionals’ to know that they’re not either. Some rules should be ‘massaged’ or ignored altogether. Thank you!
Thanks, Joy. Professionals break their own “rules,” so …
I’ve just tried to submit a post, but was told it was a duplicate post. How? I only submitted it once, and it’s not here!
Maybe a twitchy finger? Everything looks good, but thanks for letting me know.
A sensible look at the ‘rules’. The best rule here is the one about white space. Especially on ereaders. Somehow, it seems more acceptable in print. And here I have a sentence fragment!
Thanks, Vivienne. Overlong paragraphs do tax the eyes, don’t they?