Paragraphs and When to Break Them
I always have problems with paragraph breaks. Is there such thing as too many paragraph breaks? Also, I have a feeling only fanfictions or internet fics have paragraphs when a new character speaks. Do printed books also do that? Because I didn’t see that I think.
While there is some degree of personal style to paragraph construction, there are still very specific rules about when you should start a new paragraph.
You should start a new paragraph when…
1. A different person is speaking
So, what you’re seeing in fan-fiction is actually correct. Every time a different character speaks, it should begin a new paragraph. Even if they only say a single word or a few words, it will appear on the line alone. Here’s an example from The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater:
The conversation is between Maura and “the man,” with Persephone chiming in at the end.
Paragraph 1 (Maura) “It’s when…”
Paragraph 2 (the man) “Is it more…”
Paragraph 3 (Maura) “Not if you…”
Paragraph 4 (the man) “Fine…”
Paragraph 5 (Maura) gestured for… (and later) “Persephone, would you…”
Paragraph 6 (Persephone) “Oh dear…”
2. Someone else does something
You should also start a new paragraph when someone else starts to do something. Look at this example from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins:
Paragraph 1 - Gale tosses a berry toward Katniss.
Paragraph 2 - Katniss catches the berry in her mouth and eats it.
Paragraph 3 - Gale pulls out his knife as Katniss watches.
3. When a character first appears in a scene
When a character first appears in a scene, whether they arrive during the scene or were already there but haven’t been pointed out yet, you should start a new paragraph. Take a look at this scene from Twilight by Stephenie Meyer:
Paragraph 1 - Bella describes the inside of Edward’s house upon arrival.
Paragraph 2 - Bella first notices Edward’s parents waiting to greet her.
4. The scene shifts when something new happens
Sometimes something occurs in a scene that changes the mood or the trajectory of a scene. It could be your character starting to feel sick at a party because they’re coming down with the flu. It could be flashing lights because the police just arrived to break up the party. Or maybe the music suddenly stops because the party host’s parents are standing in the front doorway looking aghast. Here’s an example from The Beholder by Anna Bright:
When the music quiets and the doors swing open, a new paragraph begins. Now, in this case a character also speaks. Personally, I might have started another new paragraph for that, but that’s a style choice, like I mentioned earlier.
5. When the “camera” moves
If you imagine everything happening in the novel as being “on screen,” any time something happens that would require “the camera” to pan over to something else or be moved to a new position, that’s a good time to start a new paragraph.
6. The time or place changes
Any time you skip ahead in time (for example, “Later that day…” or “The following week…”) or the setting changes (such as, “Meanwhile, two doors down, Angie was being grounded…” or “When we got to gym class…”
7. The subject changes or a new idea is introduced
If your protagonist narrator is expounding upon the layout of their village, and then they begin to talk about their dystopian government, that should happen in a new paragraph. That way, you don’t get something like, “My friend Peeta waved as I passed the bakery and made my way toward the market. The Capitol had been ruling Panem for centuries, and it was not a forgiving government.” See how that’s confusing? She’s talking about bakeries and markets, then makes this non sequitur about the government.
If you need help remembering, go to Google Image Search and type in “paragraph rules.” You’ll typically find lots of colorful graphics that lay out these rules, so you can pick one you like, print it out, and keep it handy when you’re writing. :)
