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Hi Nina, as I've grown as a writer I've become a bit more minimalist, have cut adverbs and superfluous adjectives, and followed most of the preordained advice about what constitutes good writing -- though not in this sentence :-). All that said, I love long sweeping sentences when they're excecuted well, particularly if they increase and escalate tension in the context of the story.

I've come to think about using long sentences as "beat changes" throughout a story, to keep the reader on their toes, and to prevent the prose from becoming staid and complacent. I'm curious to hear your opinion on this, and how you incorporate long sentences into your own writing. Thanks for any insight!

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Feb 26, 2023Liked by Nina Schuyler

Rick Bass is such a great writer! I am in awe of this sentence. It brings me back to my youth in Fairbanks, Alaska, and the mystery of northern light…and of the Northern Lights!

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