Should you write clear, direct sentences?
Or should you write long, expressive ones?
Do both.
Check out the opening of this Brian Doyle essay, where he flutters between simplicity and complexity.
The first paragraph starts with 4 short sentences.
The heavy repetition anchors the theme in your mind:
Hummingbird hearts.
The paragraph closes with a big sentence.
It's 2.3x longer than the first four combined.
There are 4 parts, each with it's own device:
- A definition ("joyas voladoras")
- Juxtaposition (America vs. Universe)
- Onomatopoeia (sound)
- Scalar contrast (Elephants vs. infinitesimal)
He starts the next paragraph with another sequence of 4 short sentences, returning to repetition.
After the quick jabs, he brings on another long sentence.
But most noticeably, he shifts tone.
After 10+ points of awe around hummingbirds, he gets heavy:
He writes about their death.
Notice the pattern?
Short. Short. Short. Short > Long
Short. Short. Short. Short > Long
Internalize this, and try it in your own writing:
- After a series of simple sentences, you've earned a banger.
- After a big sentence, you need to let your reader recharge.