Short Story Writing Skills: Paragraphing / Writing Dialogues

Paragraphing: Why are paragraphs important when writing stories? When does an author choose to start a new paragraph?

Barbara couldn't take it any more. Her upstairs neighbor was blasting his stereo again. She had asked him twice already to turn the volume down. The first time she asked, he was surprised. He said he didn't know that she could hear his stereo."Yes," she said, "it's just like your stereo was in my living room. I can hear every note!"He said he would keep it down. She hoped that he was telling the truth. Of course, he wasn't. The very next day, he blasted his stereo. She marched upstairs to remind him of his promise. He said the volume was so low that he could barely hear it. She asked him to turn it lower. He said he would try. Barbara could swear that when she reentered her apartment, the music was louder than when she had walked upstairs. So, this was the third time. She took her baseball bat upstairs with her. She knocked very loudly on his door. When he opened the door, she screamed at him like a crazy person. She told him she would kill him if he didn't turn the music down and keep it down. His eyes got big. She went back downstairs. She couldn't hear a note.

An author starts an new paragraph when: a new event begins, the story switches between plot and setting and/or a character description when a different character speaks during a dialogue scene and to emphasize and idea or important event/thought.

Barbara couldn't take it any more. Her upstairs neighbor was blasting his stereo again. She had asked him twice already to turn the volume down. The first time she asked, he was surprised. He said he didn't know that she could hear his stereo."Yes," she said, "it's just like your stereo was in my living room. I can hear every note!"He said he would keep it down. She hoped that he was telling the truth. Of course, he wasn't. The very next day, he blasted his stereo. She marched upstairs to remind him of his promise. He said the volume was so low that he could barely hear it. She asked him to turn it lower. He said he would try. Barbara could swear that when she reentered her apartment, the music was louder than when she had walked upstairs. So, this was the third time. She took her baseball bat upstairs with her. She knocked very loudly on his door. When he opened the door, she screamed at him like a crazy person. She told him she would kill him if he didn't turn the music down and keep it down. His eyes got big. She went back downstairs. She couldn't hear a note.

Barbara couldn't take it any more. Her upstairs neighbor was blasting his stereo again. She had asked him twice already to turn the volume down. The first time she asked, he was surprised. He said he didn't know that she could hear his stereo. "Yes," she said, "it's just like your stereo was in my living room. I can hear every note!“ He said he would keep it down. She hoped that he was telling the truth. Of course, he wasn't. The very next day, he blasted his stereo. She marched upstairs to remind him of his promise. He said the volume was so low that he could barely hear it. She asked him to turn it lower. He said he would try. Barbara could swear that when she reentered her apartment, the music was louder than when she had walked upstairs.

So, this was the third time. She took her baseball bat upstairs with her. She knocked very loudly on his door. When he opened the door, she screamed at him like a crazy person. She told him she would kill him if he didn't turn the music down and keep it down. His eyes got big. She went back downstairs. She couldn't hear a note.

So… writers use paragraphs to help readers make sense of the story. Writing with paragraphs helps the reader to follow the setting, character descriptions, plot points, and dialogue with more ease.

Try it for yourselves… Where do the paragraphs belong in the following story?

Laura went to the stable. Four horses stood there. She put a saddle on Star. He was seven years old, big and dark brown. Her sister came out to the stable. They were both going to exercise the horses. It was a warm, sunny day. Janice saddled up Moonbeam, a white mare. They got on the horses and started walking them.A few minutes later, Laura was telling Janice about the new doctor in her hospital. She raised her hand for a second to make a point. Just then, Star bucked. Laura went flying into the air. She landed on her head and shoulder on the grass."Oh, my gosh!" Jan cried. "Laura, are you all right?“ Laura moaned. Jan gently rolled her over. She didn't see any blood. That's good, she thought."Can you move? You're not paralyzed anywhere, are you?“ Jan pulled Laura up into a sitting position. Laura slightly moved her legs and arms. She wasn't paralyzed. When she moved her right hand to touch her head, she groaned. “What's the matter?“ "That hurt. When I moved my arm, it hurt.” They still didn't see any blood. Jan unbuttoned the top buttons on Laura's blouse and looked at Laura's right collarbone. "Oh, no," she said.

Laura went to the stable. Four horses stood there. She put a saddle on Star. He was seven years old, big and dark brown. Her sister came out to the stable. They were both going to exercise the horses. It was a warm, sunny day. Janice saddled up Moonbeam, a white mare. They got on the horses and started walking them. A few minutes later, Laura was telling Janice about the new doctor in her hospital. She raised her hand for a second to make a point. Just then, Star bucked. Laura went flying into the air. She landed on her head and shoulder on the grass. "Oh, my gosh!" Jan cried. "Laura, are you all right?" Laura moaned. Jan gently rolled her over. She didn't see any blood. That's good, she thought. "Can you move? You're not paralyzed anywhere, are you?" Jan pulled Laura up into a sitting position. Laura slightly moved her legs and arms. She wasn't paralyzed. When she moved her right hand to touch her head, she groaned. "What's the matter?" "That hurt. When I moved my arm, it hurt." They still didn't see any blood. Jan unbuttoned the top buttons on Laura's blouse and looked at Laura's right collarbone. "Oh, no," she said.