GameSkinny Guide To Success: Sentences!

Sentences are… well, everything about your article. Literally. So how can you structure sentences to ensure you’re making the most out of your article?

• Key words should be placed at either the forefront or the rear. Feel free to format them into bold or italicized text, but don’t go overboard. No one likes to read sentences that have tons of arbitrary formatting.
• Topic statements really are your friend. They should be the first sentence of every paragraph–your main idea should be obvious or easy to find.
• Don’t be afraid to vary your structure! A good article isn’t made up of only statements. Throw in some questions readers can answer in the comments.
• Vary your sentence lengths, but be careful of run-ons. You don’t want to have one sentence make up an entire paragraph.
• A general rule of thumb is to avoid the word “that.” It’s overused and boring–most verbs don’t actually need it. In your next article, try to exclude it and see what happens! Also, try and find another word for “very,” or avoid it all together. It can easily become overused.
• Be specific with your nouns and verbs. Vague wording can lead to misunderstandings which may lead to flame wars and internet ragin’.
• Cut the crap. Literally. Don’t add a ton of extra fluff unless absolutely necessary. Readers are often turned off by giant walls of irrelevant text.
• Have fun with your articles. Remember, these are your thoughts. Your voice should come through your writing, whether it’s through humor, dissatisfaction, disgust, or overwhelming excitement. Make them interesting by injecting emotion into them! Readers love writers (don’t use “that” here!) they can relate to.