If you find your sentences filled with commas, and they wend from one topic to another, then you, like many people, may be guilty of writing run-on sentences.
The run-on sentence is annoying. The run-on is boring. Most important, utilizing run-ons in your work is a sure-fire way of losing your reader.
The run-on works in one instance – if it is part of one of your character’s personality. For instance, if you are writing dialogue spoken by a typical teenage girl, run-ons would be acceptable (“Well, we went, you know, to the mall, and, like, we tried on some clothes and makeup, and then Sheila saw this really cute guy in The Gap, so we went over and like, started talking, and ...” you get the picture.)
Curing a mania for run-ons may be a simple as implementing an outline for your work. Break each topic down into logical, organized subtopics and details. Relegate each thought to a single sentence. When a topic or subtopic requires further discussion, create unique sentences containing each of these details (or group related details) after your lead-in sentence.
If your topic ultimately branches out to other major topics, reference those topics in your initial paragraph, but address them in other paragraphs (or chapters.) This acts as a “teaser” to your audience, leaves them wanting more, and motivates them to read on.
These instructions sound like high school stuff, but I recently edited a college-level text written by a Ph D that was fraught with run-ons. The subject matter was economics. The combination was deadly from the standpoint of maintaining consciousness. So for the sake of your readers, form a working relationship with semicolons and periods, and leave run-ons to the Valley Girls.
About The Author
Jean Fritz is the owner and chief editor for JMT Publications (http://jmtpubs.tripod.com), a company specializing in helping self-publishing authors get into print. For more information on self-publication or to subscribe to her free newsletter, Writers' Notes, visit the JMT Publications website.
jeantype@excite.com
I love essays! I enjoy reading them, checking them, teaching my
students how to generate them, but most of all I enjoy writing them! You
want to ask why. I hope after reading my article you will understand. And
I so much believe that you will also fall in love with the incredible
world of essays. Let’s start our trip from a short background. The word
“essay” originated from French word “essai” which means “attempt, effort,
sketch”. And this translation reflects the essence of the task you are
assigned at your college. Really, it is your personal attempt to give a
challenging sketch on some engrossing issue. Unlike other academic
assignments, essay suggests freedom of your creative work. Its main
advantage is that you can write it on any topic, in any style. Essay is
your own point of view on something you have heard, read, seen etc. The
forefront of the essay is your personality, your thoughts, feelings and
your life position. You have a unique chance to enter a reasonable
controversy with other authors, as the teacher expects you to show your
erudition in the subject. However, you should remember that regardless
freedom of the writing process, it is not that easy at all. Because you
are expected to find an original and capturing idea (even in the
traditional context) and exceptional opinion on some problem.
The title of essay does not strictly depend on the essay topic: the
title can also serve as a starting point in your reflection; it can
express the relation of the whole and the parts. A free composition of
essay is subject to its inner logic, it is an emphasized position of the
author.
The style of the essay is marked by its aphoristic, paradoxical and
figurative character. To convey your personal perception of the world you
should: employ a lot of capturing examples, draw parallels, choose
analogies, use various associations. One of the characteristic features of
essay is the wide usage of numerous expressive means, such as metaphors,
parable and allegoric figures, symbols and comparisons. Your can enrich
and make your essay more interesting if you include in it: unpredictable
conclusions, unexpected turning points, interesting clutches of
events.Essay presents a dynamic interchange of author’s arguments,
supporting evidence and questions.
Be brief, but at the same time avoid absolute simplicity. No one will
like reading a monotonous narration. Completing the draft of your essay,
read it aloud, yes, aloud. You will be struck by the number of rough
details in your essay. You should get rid of them with no regret. If you
have to say something new, original and exclusive, then the genre of essay
is your genre. Be creative, free your mind and may be you will reveal a
great essayist in yourself.
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