Can another author explain to me why so many stories don't use paragraphs?

[Tyranomaster]

Lately, I've been seeing a huge influx in stories where every single sentence is a new line. No paragraphs, and usually no dialog tags. Is it just that even native speakers are getting worse at English? Like, as someone in the education system, I know that basically every student (save those who were already good students) who was in middle and high school during covid is a year behind thanks to really dumb administrative decisions, but is that really the crux of it? I know that a lot of Japanese Webnovels in the original Japanese is written in that way. So is it that direct translation from native tongue is causing this? Is it that there are multiple factors coming together that is the issue?

I'm just generally confounded by it, because it doesn't actually make reading easier, at least, not as a native speaker. My brain is kind of wired to pause at paragraphs, or if I daydream while I read, I go back to search for the most recent paragraph I remember, which makes back searching easier. When I see every sentence is a new line, I usually end up dropping before even trying to read the story.

What's your verdict, other authors?

 

[Representing_Tromba]

I don't like it personally but I do see it a lot. I think it is just a common webnovel format.

 

[Hoshino]

Its commonly used in light novels.

 

[JayMark]

I don't want to read novels formated like forum posts unless they are visual medium primarily.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

If you are talking about web novels it is probably made by authors who emulate translations. It's not that those authors translate and translator app splits everything, it is them deliberetely writing it that way, copying certain Korean and Japanese translations.

 

[LeilaniOtter]

I've had instances where I paste from Word to SH, and the paragraph spacing is all wrong, and I need to re-edit. It's quite a pain.
But yes, normally this is the fault of translations.

 

[Deleted member 166465]

hummmm... I guess is the effect of texting.
A lot of people dont write a long paragraf, they just send line after life, after line. That could be contaminating the way younger generation writes.
I really dont care, still I must remind you all of that most famous roman citizen: Biggus Dickus... and his wife.

 

[Puji-Maki]

I don't want to write a long paragraph. Also, my writing is heavily affected by what I read, and I like reading webnovels.

 

[Bartun]

My story is heavy with dialogue, and people would get lost if I didn't put dialogue tags ?

 

[Golden_Hyde]

Lately, I've been seeing a huge influx in stories where every single sentence is a new line. No paragraphs, and usually no dialog tags. Is it just that even native speakers are getting worse at English? Like, as someone in the education system, I know that basically every student (save those who were already good students) who was in middle and high school during covid is a year behind thanks to really dumb administrative decisions, but is that really the crux of it? I know that a lot of Japanese Webnovels in the original Japanese is written in that way. So is it that direct translation from native tongue is causing this? Is it that there are multiple factors coming together that is the issue?

I'm just generally confounded by it, because it doesn't actually make reading easier, at least, not as a native speaker. My brain is kind of wired to pause at paragraphs, or if I daydream while I read, I go back to search for the most recent paragraph I remember, which makes back searching easier. When I see every sentence is a new line, I usually end up dropping before even trying to read the story.

What's your verdict, other authors?

All I can say is it's another kind of gold rush

 

[Corty]

Because @RepresentingWrath hates paragraphs.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Because @RepresentingWrath hates paragraphs.

SailusGerbil hates paragraphs, a man-princess hates paragraphs; me? I am quietly representing raph here.

 

[Corty]

SailusGerbil hates paragraphs, a man-princess hates paragraphs; me? I am quietly representing raph here.

Sorry, too long, didn't read. No emojis either. Unreadable comment.

 

[Macha]

Those stories are often made by and for people on mobile where long paragraphs are painful to read. I don't see anything wrong with them.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Sorry, too long, didn't read. No emojis either. Unreadable comment.

Cowabummer, dude.

 

[ZebraUnicorn]

Because most webnovels are read on mobile. This includes most people who read here on SH and on RR as well.

Clicking into a chapter and seeing your entire phone screen be filled with a wall of text is a massive deterrant for most readers. Aside from differences in literary culture, the translated webnovels and light novels you mentioned are written that way for the same reason as well. Because countries like JP, KR and CN were practically the ones who popularised the webnovel format.

Having each paragraph be just 2-3 sentences long is just about right length. In fact, when I'm writing on Google Docs, I make a conscious effort to ensure that each of my paragraphs don't exceed more than 4-5 lines on screen. Based on my own format setting of course, your mileage may vary.

 

[Eldoria]

I usually write a paragraph with two to four sentences to describe a specific scene, whether it's dialogue or action. It's neither too long nor too concise, so it's easy to read on mobile.
And if 1 sentence becomes 1 paragraph (1 line), to be honest, I think it's too weird. Unless 1 line is used to express a certain sound (for example, "arghh" for a scream of pain), it makes sense.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Because most webnovels are read on mobile. This includes most people who read here on SH and on RR as well.

Clicking into a chapter and seeing your entire phone screen be filled with a wall of text is a massive deterrant for most readers. Aside from differences in literary culture, the translated webnovels and light novels you mentioned are written that way for the same reason as well. Because countries like JP, KR and CN were practically the ones who popularised the webnovel format.

Having each paragraph be just 2-3 sentences long is just about right length. In fact, when I'm writing on Google Docs, I make a conscious effort to ensure that each of my paragraphs don't exceed more than 4-5 lines on screen. Based on my own format setting of course, your mileage may vary.

I partially agree, but this doesn't explain lack of dialogue tags. Adding "Zebra said" or "Zebra winked" doesn't add 4-5 lines of screen, yet those are absent in a lot of recent novels according to OP.

 

[SwordSong]

I remember sharing a draft for my novel, and someone commented that they found it a bit too dense.

My paragraph length are 2-3 sentences at most. Maybe a lot of people just don't have the attention span to read more than one sentence without a break?

 

[Corty]

My honest answer:

Because most writers are beginners on webnovel sites and their experience comes from other half-assed works on those sites and not from actual books. As a result, "bad" examples get reproduced and become the norm, causing the "old-school" type of storytelling to be looked upon as if that was the issue.

It is a point that actually grinds my gears, because people began complaining about "long paragraphs" but in a different topic start praising works in literature examples, that had 3x the length of the paragraphs they complained about.

Tl;dr

I stopped caring about feedback because of it. I just write in my own style because whatever anyone is saying, it works and filters out the zoomer crowd.