weekly writing coach: length variations

The next time you write a paragraph, take a look at sentence length. Do short sentences pepper the graph? Are all your sentences, cut and stacked one atop the other, exactly the same size? Do long sentences rule? If you identify a pattern, make an effort to stop your preference -- long, short or in between -- and add variance in the editing phase. Your readers will thank you with greater attention. Varying sentences helps the eye avoid fatigue. One tip: Check for one-, two- and three-clause sentences, and use punctuation to help guide the reader through longer sentences similar to this one. Do it now!