How to keep sentences interesting

Gary Provost, writing instructor and author, put it much better than I could:

Gary is right.

A few years ago I stopped telling people to "Write short sentences" (a recipe for boring writing) and started saying "Vary your sentence length".

In the search for variety, some crazy-long sentences can creep in, like Gary's blue one above.

To avoid the crazy-long trap, check your average words per sentence. Aim for around 12 to 15 words.

1. Open your writing in Microsoft Word.

2. On the Home tab, click the Editor icon (top right).

3. Click on Document Stats.

4. Click Okay.

A box will appear with your average sentence length.

If your average is above 15, find some long sentences to chop in half until you reach that 12 to 15-word sweet spot.

That way, your writing will be both interesting and easy to read.

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