| Author | Message | ||
| Doug222 (Doug222) |
I have a sincere request that I hope is taken in the Spirit it is intended. I am a frequent visitor to FAF (although I only post in spurts). One of my greatest frustrations when I visit is reading long posts with no paragraph breaks. In my opinion, it ranks right up there with POSTING IN ALL CAPS. Maybe it is just me, but very rarely can I make it all the way through these posts. After about 5-6 lines, I find myself skimming, and if the post is really long, I usually just give up altogether. This is a shame because often I am very interested in what the writer has to say. My request is for people to break up their posts into paragraphs. I am not asking anyone to be an english major (sorry Colleen). The paragraphing does not have to be perfect. Any breaks make your post so MUCH easier on the reader. So, if you get to the end of a thought (or if you've typed several sentences), just hit that magic return key a couple times. I know that at least one reader would be very much appreciative. Thanks in advance. In His Grace Doug | ||
| Janice (Janice) |
Doug, I am sorry but my thinking and keying are the same, when I get on a topic, I go at it non-stop but I will try to consider what you are saying. Proper English dictates that when you have a new train of thought or change a subject, then you start a new paragraph, so, we are all talking basically about the same thing which makes paragraphs unneccessary. Maybe you should consider that this is a hinderance to your search for truth. When you feel compelled to skim over important forums, stop and tell Satan to get out of the way and pray to God for patience when dealing with long-winded souls such as myself. Again, I will try to revise my style to accommodate your request, but I can't make you keep your interest if the devil talks you out of being attentive. God bless you, and I hope I haven't offended you. Janice | ||
| Doug222 (Doug222) |
Janice, My comment was not meant as a criticism of anyone on the forum, but as feedback. It also was not directed at you specifically. The unfortunate thing about commuicating electronically is that many of the nuances (i.e. tone) of face-to-face commuication are missing. I fear that you may have missed the "loving" tone in which I expressed myself. The issue is not that you are long winded. Its more a matter of the method in which you deliver your wind <that was a joke>. Actually, I have no problem with the length of your posts. Maybe an illustration will help. Have you ever encountered a child who was excited about something and they just couldn't wait to get it all out. Usually, someone will tell them to slow down and take their time (or to start over). Its not because they are not interested in what the child is saying, it is because they know that they will miss important parts of the messages if the child does not facillitate commuincation. I think I am saying the same thing--although I am by no means suggesting that you are a child. At least for me, it is physically (and mentally) tiring to read something on a screen (or several screens) full of text with no breaks. The paragraph breaks help the reader (or at least me) to follow your train of thought better. I am not in the least bit offended by anything you have said/done and hope you (or anyone else)are not offended by my request. If you choose to do it, that would be great. If you choose not to, it is not the end of the world, and I will manage the best way that I can. I certainly do not want to make an issue out of this. I just thought the feedback might be helpful. In His Grace Doug | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
Doug, You are so funny! I would be happy to oblige (did I spell that right?) I will have to think about it while typing though. This is really funny to me, don't know why. Makes me think of a story I heard the other day. This couple was going to a marriage retreat and they asked each person to tell their partner one thing that really bugged them about the other person. One couple had been married like 20 years and the husband said that he hated that his wife took up the whole vanity in the bathroom and he had a little corner for his stuff. She couldn't believe it. She never knew he minded! Communication is good Doug!  God bless ya brother! | ||
| Lydell (Lydell) |
thanks for bringing this up Doug. I too have a bit of a problem when there are no paragraph breaks. For me it is a problem with the eyes, tho. It really is far more tiring on these middle aged eyes when there is no break. Don't understand why... | ||
| Bob (Bob) |
I agree with Doug and Lydell. I skip over long, unbroken posts. Please, everyone, put a paragraph break between every 5 to 7 sentences, even if it isn't a logical place to start a new paragraph! | ||
| Colleentinker (Colleentinker) |
You're right. Long paragraphs are very difficult to read. That's the reason that the rules for paragraphs in journalism are different from the rules for paragraphs in essay and formal writing. In a newspaper, paragprahs are usually two to three sentences longóat least in news stories. The reason is that if they were longer, the eye would see long, unbroken columns of type, and most people wouldn't read them. The white space gives the eye a "marker" to remember where one idea ends and another begins. It's a bit like a collection of snapshots. If they're arranged in frames that separate them from each other, you can see each one more clearly and remember it more distinctly. If they're all butted up against each other, you have a hard time distinguishing between them. On a fourm such as this, the scrolling adds yet another confusing distraction. I lose my place in long posts if I have to scroll. Thanks for saying something, Doug! Colleen | ||
| Denisegilmore (Denisegilmore) |
I remember when I first started posting on this forum a few years back. My posts were one long continuous sentence...hehehe...till finally, someone told me to break it up. WELL! Me thought...if they can't take a joke... Actually, I was like alot of others that come here and get excited to have found others of like minds. So the thought hadn't occurred to me to put in paragraphs. I just typed as fast as my fingers would allow. But, now, hopefully, my posts are easier to read. Even if I can't spell for beans or do punctuation for that matter. But there is a white space now and I've had no complaints (and better not get any either! grrrrrr! :::::joking:::: . Well, not joking about getting no complaints but joking in my tone of anger. Oh brother,,,,I can mess up anything I try to portray in writing, as all should know by now. hehehe, ah well, tis me and ya gotta luv me anyway. Denise who now (because of emails sent to me regarding this same thing) puts white matter in between lines of letters. Soooo Um, Doug, how'd I do in delivering that wind?....:::::snicker:::::: | ||
| Another_Carol (Another_Carol) |
To all, Sorry for the long unbroken posts. I like Denise have so much to say that I just get going and can't stop. I have seen that my posts are not like others but I felt like if I chopped them up they would go on even longer as far as screen space and also I felt I was doing the right thing in keeping the paragraph as one thought. Janice, I am sorry you took the brunt of this I think I was the one it should have been directed to since I was doing it before you came on board. I'm sorry for those of you who do not read just because it is not in the style you want because I think you have missed out on something that is from the Holy Spirit. I will do my best to try and keep the writing field broken up so it will be more pleasing to read. Thanks for the critque. May God be glorified even thru our faults, Carol | ||
| Denisegilmore (Denisegilmore) |
Amen to that Carol! your sis in our Lord Jesus Christ, denisetheonewhohastocontinuallyremindherselfstilltoputparagraphsinandit'susuallydoneintheeditingofapostfortheoriginalpostwillbeonelonnnnnnngsentencestillttothisdayuntilitisedited. |
