Dear Geist,

Do you have a simple guide for fiction writers on how many words a paragraph should have? Is it different for non-fiction writers? I know people’s attention spans are getting shorter and I don't want anyone skipping over a paragraph it took me three days to write, or two weeks to condense.

—Aysel Ghir, Cyberspace

Dear Aysel,

Yes, studies show that people consume more and more written text on electronic devices, and that the functions of those devices have in turn caused people to expect shorter and shorter sentences and paragraphs—a tendency most of us know without a study to prove it! But this fact doesn’t argue for a specific or consistent number of words in a sentence or paragraph. There are so many kinds of writing, and so many reasons for people to read a particular text or excerpt, that it would be impossible to reduce all works to such a formula without producing dreary text, except for certain rhythmic poems and songs.

Instead, try this. Gather some miscellaneous items with readable text—a book, a book jacket, a Web ad online, a store sale flyer, a letter to the editor, an appeal for money and so on. Then read them. Then rank them from most interesting to least interesting. Now count the words in each sentence sample. Odds are the most engaging readings have no relation to the number of words in their sentences, and the same goes for the least engaging text. What keeps you there is strong writing, not length.

We salute you for watching these changes in readers’ habits and preferences. You will learn more about the marketplace and your place in it when you're paying attention to your current audience. You can find publishing news online and in industry bestseller news (ask a librarian for industry periodicals—they are often found behind the library desk, being read by librarians!), and check the “buzz” level of independent readers posting comments and recommendations. These habits will provide plenty of food for thought about your position in the writing world, and you're bound to “meet” good colleagues along the way.

—The Editors