This series is about mistakes I made as a new writer years ago and what I've seen as a developmental editor.
BE MICHAEL SCOTT. START A SENTENCE AND HOPE YOU FIND IT ALONG THE WAY:
This is a little more involved than writing the occasional run-on sentences. This is when a writer starts a sentence, loses focus, and then keeps writing until they realize the sentence has to end. Eventually, the end of the sentence has taken the reader on such a journey that they have no idea where (or when) they started. Even worse, the entire novel is written this way. The reader has to go back and reread, which they don't want to do. Oftentimes, these long sentences are trying to inject different topics or emotions that aren't focused on what the scene is about and what the POV character is experiencing in the moment. If your POV character is thinking about cooking dinner, stay in that train of thought unless it makes sense for the character.
EASY FIX:
Return to the focus of your scene. What emotions do you want to convey? Have you considered how time is passing during the scene (is the "clock" ticking or are your characters in a rush or slowing down?)? Once you start writing, be conscious and vary your sentence lengths.
ANALYZE YOUR WRITING:
1. Read your writing out loud. Can you hear the natural ebb and flow (rhythm) of your writing?
2. Take a paragraph or two and look at each sentence's length. Choose sentences you can shorten or add length. Think about the emotional impact you want to have when readers read each sentence. With purpose, change the sentence lengths.
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