ryan rips one-sentence paragraphs

[henryhenry]

ryan's pet peeve. personally, i use them - for dramatic accent - and punch lines

http://www.sportsmediaguide.com/11212006-BobRyan-Pt1.asp

 

[fishwrapper]

My pet peeve of Bob Ryan:

"I am very much a fan. That's my DNA – it's why I have an advantage over most other people. I can convey that to my readers...that is simply not the case with the vast majority of my colleagues. How can they function – I don't get it."

I don't get it. His homer/fan columns are boring and appeal to the lowest common denominator.
(He must really hate Bill Plaschke. He can have a 20-graph column containing 30 sentences.)

 

[shotglass]

I really respect Bob, but he's out of touch with what readers have told us. They don't want two-inch-long paragraphs and complex, run-on sentences.

 

[Ace]

I agree.

One-sentence paragraphs suck.

Totally.

 

[slappy4428]

There's only one Ryan on this board and it ain't Bob....

understand?

 

[Guybehindtheguy]

I really respect Bob, but he's out of touch with what readers have told us. They don't want two-inch-long paragraphs and complex, run-on sentences.

Readers are idiots. No wonder we lag behind like 200 countries when it comes to literacy and education.

 

[ballscribe]

After reading that, seems like Bob really thinks Bob is good.
And it seems Bob doesn't think anyone else is nearly as good.

 

[shotglass]

I really respect Bob, but he's out of touch with what readers have told us. They don't want two-inch-long paragraphs and complex, run-on sentences.

Readers are idiots. No wonder we lag behind like 200 countries when it comes to literacy and education.

Ahh ... but they are what they are. It's not your job to rebel against their reading level and write over their heads.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I don't know Ryan well, but from what I've seen, he seems much more down to earth than most of the big time columnists...

 

[buckweaver]

I really respect Bob, but he's out of touch with what readers have told us. They don't want two-inch-long paragraphs and complex, run-on sentences.

Readers are idiots. No wonder we lag behind like 200 countries when it comes to literacy and education.

Ahh ... but they are what they are. It's not your job to rebel against their reading level and write over their heads.

No, but it is very possible to write intelligently without "dumbing it down" ... too many writers don't mind the latter when instead they could (and should) be striving for the former ...

 

[JackS]

The one thing that surprised me about that interview is that Ryan is only 60. Not that I think he looks a whole lot older, but he's been looking 60 for the past 15 years.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

One sentence paragraphs work as a device, used sparingly, for emphasis.
A whole column?
Ick.
Also, that's an interesting site. Click over onto our man Kindred's thread. No love there for Simmons, but great love for the craft.

 

[JackS]

I liked Canzano's interview too. Sat with him on a media bus a few years ago and can relate to a lot of the stuff he does. Good site.

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

I really respect Bob, but he's out of touch with what readers have told us. They don't want two-inch-long paragraphs and complex, run-on sentences.

I don't think they necessarily want longer paragraphs, but neither do I think they want shorter paragraphs. I think people who are smart enough to read a newspaper are smart enough to deal with a three- or four-sentence paragraph. And I think people who aren't smart enough to read a newspaper wouldn't be smart enough to read a newspaper even if we wrote one-sentence paragraphs in crayon. I think we have to accept that our audience is shrinking, but that dumbing it down isn't going to do us any good, either. Stupid people aren't gonna read no matter what we do.

 

[Montezuma's Revenge]

I really respect Bob, but he's out of touch with what readers have told us. They don't want two-inch-long paragraphs and complex, run-on sentences.

I don't think they necessarily want longer paragraphs, but neither do I think they want shorter paragraphs. I think people who are smart enough to read a newspaper are smart enough to deal with a three- or four-sentence paragraph. And I think people who aren't smart enough to read a newspaper wouldn't be smart enough to read a newspaper even if we wrote one-sentence paragraphs in crayon. I think we have to accept that our audience is shrinking, but that dumbing it down isn't going to do us any good, either. Stupid people aren't gonna read no matter what we do.

Amen, Frank. Amen.

By the way, why do short, punchy grafs have to be synonymous with dumbing down. I happen to think they can be great devices when -- like most devices -- used wisely.

Most of the truly bad writing I see in papers is when people get diarrhea of the keyboard and have 65-word sentences that go in nine directions without a payoff.

 

[Beach_Bum]

For me it really depends on what I am in the mood to read, and to some extent that depends on the forum. I don't pick up a newspaper to read long prose. It just doesn't "look" right, and that's a turnoff. If I pick up a paper, I don't want to look at 4-inch-long paragraphs. Tires me out. I want a quick read. Get in, get out, let me go on to work. Don't make me trudge through 60 inches that could have been 30 or six-sentence paragraphs that could have been two.

If I am looking at a magazine, I am in the mindset to read something more substantial. The format does make a difference for me.

I field calls every day about stories our writers have crafted. They've put in the work, written what they think is a great 50-inch piece of prose. And in most cases they're right. They are very good writers and my shop is definitely known and praised often on this board as a "writer's paper." But the calls I get are not usually, "great job, wow, I was moved." It's usually, "nice story but it was tooooo damn long."

 

[Boom_70]

I guess Bob does not like Bill Plaschke's work then.

I happen to think Plaschke it the best sport columnist in the country and does more with 1 sentence that most do with a full column.

 

[statrat]

I liked Canzano's interview too. Sat with him on a media bus a few years ago and can relate to a lot of the stuff he does. Good site.

Even though I may disagree with Canzano from time to time, I did develop a whole new respect for him after that interview. As for Bob Ryan's thoughts on one-sentence paragraphs, if I can't use one-sentence paragraphs to stretch enough space out of a poorly written column, how the hell am I supposed to hang on in this business? Sigh.

 

[Songbird]

Pfft.

 

[fishwrapper]

I don't know Ryan well, but from what I've seen, he seems much more down to earth than most of the big time columnists...

Down to earth? Bob Ryan? Are we talking about he Boston Globe's Bob Ryan?