Topic: Run-on sentences that aren't
I guess because I like wordsmithing long sentences, I'm often (falsely) accused of writing run-ons. It's like authors here don't know what a run-on actually is, but, judging by the number of words between the first and the last one, it must automatically be one. It makes me wonder if they actually read books, or study at least some rudimentary principles of the English language, which puzzles me, given the fact English is not my mother tongue, and if I can do it, they most assuredly must be aware. Long sentences occur in novels of every genre, be it sci-fi, fantasy, horror, or speculative literary (whatever that is). Also, writing is hard work, and success must be earned. Submissions are often answered by dead air. It's not like a car mechanic is hired because he/she has a driver's license. Anyhoo, occasionally it will consume the better part of an hour for me to get it right.
So, here's the definition of a run-on sentence, to avoid further 'misunderstandings,' or planting comments as soon as there are more than, say, twenty words without a period at the end:
A run-on sentence exists when two or more independent clauses are not joined with the proper conjunction or punctuation. A run-on sentence is poor grammar. More than one independent clause cannot exist in a sentence unless they are properly combined. To properly combine clauses, correct conjunctions or punctuation must be added to the sentence. Despite their name, run-on sentences have nothing to do with length. Run-on sentences can be quite short, in fact. The only thing that determines a run-on sentence is when more than one independent clause exists without the proper tools to combine them.
Also see: https://writingexplained.org/grammar-di … n-sentence for examples.
During all my years of writing, I have never had a story rejected because of long sentences. Ever. My latest short story sale (Gigolo, which was up for review on this site a few weeks back) to https://www.3lobedmag.com/ contains this baby:
Only occasionally there's a glimpse of what once was, like a bubble of methane escapes melting permafrost and explodes: Jody's grandfather's apple orchard where they played hide and seek amidst old and gnarled tree trunks, the grass so high it tickled her thighs and chills ran down her spine when thinking how many nasty frogs might be hiding in this wilderness; Marcy's dad with his 8mm film camera, recording scenes for prosperity in his backyard, a sudden gust of wind blowing smoke from the barbeque onto the scene, obscuring three fourth-grade girls practicing for the cheerleading contest and granny laughing, granny who always understood everything, her favorite person in the whole world, granny in the background, granny she loved so much, granny who would pass away that same night; and cradled in soft chairs, the aroma of hot popcorn tickling her nostrils and Lea's impatience for the movie to begin and silently praying no big person will sit in front of her and her friends giggling and her mom telling them to hush but there's a smile in her voice and—
Can that be improved? I'm sure it can, but all I'm asking in this longish post is to pay attention to what and how it's written. and don't discard stuff without knowing why...
Ray
P.S. I'm not Shakespeare. I do this mostly for the money, and because my muse won't stop pestering the hell out of me. Plus, I'm a cranky old bastard. So there.
