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First we need to define what a paragraph is. A paragraph as defined in the "New Webster's Dictionary" is a distinct portion of written or printed matter dealing with a particular point or quoting one speaker, a note, item, or brief article, as in a newspaper, usually forming a distinct, undivided whole.

In other words, a paragraph is a piece of writing which gets to the point of the subject at hand at the time, to make it clear just what it is that the writer wants you know at that precise moment in time.

Everything written down on a piece of paper or a computer screen has a format to go by. Every story no matter what has a beginning, a middle and a end to be told. Now, whether you can tell it in one paragraph or a hundred paragraphs depends on how long the story is that you intend to tell.

Just like all stories, the paragraph itself has a beginning, a middle and a end and it's up to the writer to make their point clear in each and every paragraph at the time just what it is that he or she wants the reader to know at that point in time. Whether one of the characters in a story is talking or the subject at hand is being told about.

Example 1: "Mary, are you going to come to the party tonight? It's going to be a real blast. Ted is bringing his friend that I told you about. You know, the one who likes you in Art class."

Example 2: The Pomeranian is a very fragile toy dog that has a think coat, pointed ears, almond shaped eyes and a tail that sits flat on its back. It weighs between three and seven pounds.

Now, both of these are paragraphs. Both have a beginning, a middle and a end. If put together with many other paragraphs, these can turn into very interesting stories and articles.

Long paragraphs are hard on the readers who are reading them. Paragraph breaks indicate a change of scenery or setting. They also indicate when a jump in time whether ahead or back, has happened. They also clue the reader in on the possibility of a new event fixing to take place or give a warning that a new topic is about to be discussed.

Paragraph breaks are very important and necessary when writing dialogue (quoted conversations). Never allow two different characters to speak within the same paragraph as this can confuse the reader about just who is saying what.

You can indicate where a paragraph breaks by skipping a line, then starting a new paragraph on the next line at the left hand margin or by simply starting the new paragraph on the next line (without skipping a line) and indenting the first word of the new paragraph by moving it to the right by about five spaces. When writing fiction, the second method is preferred. The first is only used when writing text, letters, memos or reports.

A paragraph by itself can indeed tell everything that the writer wants the reader to know and it can stand alone if the intended point is achieved.

Learn more about this author, Rebecca Anne Grant.
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