Micro-Paragraphs
I recently took a deep dive into examining how AI improves an existing document and discovered a trend. Nearly all the AI chat boxes I tested broke up paragraphs into multiple short paragraphs. There were even single-word paragraphs. To me, this read seemed out of place, and I wanted to learn more about what was happening.
Since I began writing books, my style has evolved, but my initial goal of helping my readers connect with the story in my bonkers mind remained. Thus, I avoid long paragraphs and short paragraphs. I intend to give readers a break while maintaining their interest. My benchmark is a minimum of two medium-length sentences, and I try not to exceed five. The exception is dialogue, where short paragraphs are used to indicate who is speaking.
Yet, multiple AI chat boxes employ this micro-paragraph style. Here is a Microsoft Copilot prompt to “improve the readability” of an existing paragraph.
“Sure thing, Captain!” she called back. “Won’t be a minute!”
Nick stood alone, relishing the rare quiet. Soon, the rest of the crew would join him, but for now, it was just him—adrift in the vastness of space, the stars stretching endlessly around him.
They had fought for this. Earned it.
Freedom.
It hadn’t always been that way.
To me, this reads all wrong, but it occurs to me that I may be ignorant of how modern successful writing is done. To investigate the matter, I did a quick survey of new (not classic) fiction authors who recently released popular works. These are the first six books that appeared in the Amazon “editor’s best books of the month” selection. They all had excellent reviews, and I skimmed the first few pages.
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
Berserker Obsession by Asa Maria Bradley
Inked by Rachel Rener
Death Row by Freida McFadden
Rewind It Back by Liz Tomforde
Abscond by Abraham Verghese
Although only a small selection, the results were revealing. With one exception, they read how I would expect. Their well-written paragraphs were medium length with good flowing sentences. The outlier, House of Flame, had short, choppy paragraphs, similar to what I saw in AI-generated paragraphs.
Now, I must take a side track. I have written a few articles about AI chat boxes, which have allowed me to understand what they are capable of. I also use ChatGPT during the outline stage to vet my ideas. However, I never allow AI-generated words to be in my books or articles unless I thoroughly prepare my readers with a warning. Why?
Three reasons. It is neither fun nor ethical, and readers are becoming increasingly adept at spotting AI-generated words, which is precisely what I saw in The House of Flame. I am not sure if the author used AI to “up” a poorly written book, or if it was entirely AI-generated. However, all the AI fingerprints were there: precise dialogue integration, unwavering sentence structure, long-winded descriptions, and the use of specific words that I now recognize AI overuses.
However, seeing an AI-generated work with many positive reviews made me think about the bigger picture. Who is using AI the most, and what are they using it for? Kids are using AI to text. Ahh, short sentences and micro-paragraphs now make sense.
So now what? Should I alter my writing style to include micro-paragraphs? Yes, this technique pumps up the action, but my instinct yells out NO!!!!! Yet, The House of Flame had excellent reviews and good sales.
I hate doing something because the world perceives it as cool (bell-bottom jeans), but I must accept that this generation of readers has changed. Micro-paragraphs read well to new readers. What should I do? These paragraphs look unappealing, and more to the point, I have put in a significant effort to refine my style.
Time for some reality. I admit that I am trying to write in the footsteps of my beloved authors. I do this because this style is the standard, it is what I am used to reading, and because I want to be successful.
Could the world revert to enjoying classic writing styles? “Curl up and enjoy a good book with big paragraphs.” I make myself laugh. Micro-paragraphs are the new reality in writing, and despite my distaste, I must accept that this is what the modern reader wants.
Writing this article was a wake-up call. I suppose I could ease into this process with a few mini-paragraphs and throw in a few micro-paragraphs. Girrr. That last sentence boiled my blood.
You’re the best -Bill
July 02, 2025
Since I began writing books, my style has evolved, but my initial goal of helping my readers connect with the story in my bonkers mind remained. Thus, I avoid long paragraphs and short paragraphs. I intend to give readers a break while maintaining their interest. My benchmark is a minimum of two medium-length sentences, and I try not to exceed five. The exception is dialogue, where short paragraphs are used to indicate who is speaking.
Yet, multiple AI chat boxes employ this micro-paragraph style. Here is a Microsoft Copilot prompt to “improve the readability” of an existing paragraph.
“Sure thing, Captain!” she called back. “Won’t be a minute!”
Nick stood alone, relishing the rare quiet. Soon, the rest of the crew would join him, but for now, it was just him—adrift in the vastness of space, the stars stretching endlessly around him.
They had fought for this. Earned it.
Freedom.
It hadn’t always been that way.
To me, this reads all wrong, but it occurs to me that I may be ignorant of how modern successful writing is done. To investigate the matter, I did a quick survey of new (not classic) fiction authors who recently released popular works. These are the first six books that appeared in the Amazon “editor’s best books of the month” selection. They all had excellent reviews, and I skimmed the first few pages.
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
Berserker Obsession by Asa Maria Bradley
Inked by Rachel Rener
Death Row by Freida McFadden
Rewind It Back by Liz Tomforde
Abscond by Abraham Verghese
Although only a small selection, the results were revealing. With one exception, they read how I would expect. Their well-written paragraphs were medium length with good flowing sentences. The outlier, House of Flame, had short, choppy paragraphs, similar to what I saw in AI-generated paragraphs.
Now, I must take a side track. I have written a few articles about AI chat boxes, which have allowed me to understand what they are capable of. I also use ChatGPT during the outline stage to vet my ideas. However, I never allow AI-generated words to be in my books or articles unless I thoroughly prepare my readers with a warning. Why?
Three reasons. It is neither fun nor ethical, and readers are becoming increasingly adept at spotting AI-generated words, which is precisely what I saw in The House of Flame. I am not sure if the author used AI to “up” a poorly written book, or if it was entirely AI-generated. However, all the AI fingerprints were there: precise dialogue integration, unwavering sentence structure, long-winded descriptions, and the use of specific words that I now recognize AI overuses.
However, seeing an AI-generated work with many positive reviews made me think about the bigger picture. Who is using AI the most, and what are they using it for? Kids are using AI to text. Ahh, short sentences and micro-paragraphs now make sense.
So now what? Should I alter my writing style to include micro-paragraphs? Yes, this technique pumps up the action, but my instinct yells out NO!!!!! Yet, The House of Flame had excellent reviews and good sales.
I hate doing something because the world perceives it as cool (bell-bottom jeans), but I must accept that this generation of readers has changed. Micro-paragraphs read well to new readers. What should I do? These paragraphs look unappealing, and more to the point, I have put in a significant effort to refine my style.
Time for some reality. I admit that I am trying to write in the footsteps of my beloved authors. I do this because this style is the standard, it is what I am used to reading, and because I want to be successful.
Could the world revert to enjoying classic writing styles? “Curl up and enjoy a good book with big paragraphs.” I make myself laugh. Micro-paragraphs are the new reality in writing, and despite my distaste, I must accept that this is what the modern reader wants.
Writing this article was a wake-up call. I suppose I could ease into this process with a few mini-paragraphs and throw in a few micro-paragraphs. Girrr. That last sentence boiled my blood.
You’re the best -Bill
July 02, 2025
No comments have been added yet.
