Tips For Writing a Good Paragraph - Structure & Length

You can't be a good writer if you can't write a good paragraph.

A paragraph is one of the key building blocks for writing. Without having mastered the ability to write a good paragraph, you can never master the art of writing. And structure and length are two of the key characteristics for writing good paragraphs.

But how do you choose the correct length and structure for a paragraph?

Structure is the easier of the two questions to answer. All paragraphs have the same basic structure as a good argument. They begin with an introductory sentence. They end with a concluding sentence. In between are one or more body or development sentences. The introduction should be strong. After all, its purpose is not only to introduce the paragraph but to cause the reader to be interested in reading the paragraph. Similarly the conclusion should be strong.

Length on the other hand is somewhat more difficult to answer. After all, we're not in school and paragraphs are not expected to always be the same length. In fact, paragraphs should not be the same length. Or makeup. Or structure or anything else. Too much similarity is boring. So keep the parts varying. Make one paragraph long. And another short. Make the sentences long and short. Keep the sentences varying as well. Have one paragraph with too many long sentences? Let the next paragraph be filled with short sentences. Mix it up.

The answer is made more difficult because there are multiple answers. In a digital article short is best. So figure between 40 and 75 words in a paragraph. Maximum. But in a textbook, the length will be much higher. Figure at least 100 words in a paragraph. Don't be surprised if some of them edge past 200!