Why You Need To Use Paragraphs When Writing Articles?

This post is also known as "Why huge blocks of text are annoying?" and "Why is it important to use paragraphs when writing articles?".

Articles with huge blocks of text

What do you think or feel when you come across articles that have very long paragraphs or, worse, that have the contents of the article written in one huge wall of text? Who wants to read huge blocks of text? Don’t you get turned off or feel miffed, frustrated, and annoyed when you see articles like that?

Reason to add paragraphs to your articles

They hurt the eyes, don’t they? And they can make you feel confused as you try to figure out which part of the huge block of text you’ve already finished reading.


If I see articles like that, I just leave and go look for other articles that are easier to read. I wouldn’t want to read articles with huge blocks of text unless said article is really, really very interesting. Even then, I'd hesitate to read such articles, and might only do so if there's no other article or post about whatever I might be looking for.

How to make your articles easier to read?

What’s wrong with putting spaces and paragraphs in your articles? What’s wrong with making them easier to read?

Since I don’t like articles with huge blocks of text, I make sure my own articles are separated into small paragraphs and that there are plenty of spaces to make them easier on the eyes.

This should definitely include the need to add spaces between paragraphs, so your article won’t end up looking like one huge wall of text

The spaces might make the article seem longer, but they are easier to read, which is what’s most important. If people like what they’re reading and find that their eyes aren’t getting strained and that the contents of the article are interesting, then they likely won’t even notice the length.

What about you? Do you also write articles and make sure to separate the text content into small paragraphs?

*Notes:
- Image with added text was modified by Freya Yuki (CC:BY-SA) based on the image by CoDLia (CC:BY-SA) from deviantArt
- Image is meant to symbolize someone writing articles
- Second image is from Amazon.com; link shown above via Amazon's Native Shopping Ads card format widget
- YouTube video shows you how to add spaces between paragraphs using a word processor like Microsoft Word
- This was previously published elsewhere

Do You Like Being Forced To Subscribe To A Newsletter?

Also known as "Do you like those newsletter popups, which may not necessarily be an ad, but which could technically still be considered an advertisement anyway?"

So, what exactly am I talking about? You know when you find what seems to be an interesting article online (at least interesting enough to get you to click it and check it out) and then you go to the site where it's located to read it?

When you get to said article, there are some sites which will suddenly display either popup ads or a popup newsletter subscription form. These things will just suddenly show up, and you won't be able to read the article because it will be kind of grayed-out, so you have to close those popups (or sign up for them or something, but who'd do that?) first before anything else.

What do you think about that? Do you like those popup ads or those popup newsletter subscription forms? For me, I don't like them at all (totally an understatement, by the way). Seriously, doesn't anyone find these annoying?

And also, don't you think they're really kind of intrusive? I mean, you arrived at that site to read an article and not to sign up for some random newsletter or click on some ad or something. Isn't this kind of tactic really irritating?

Or does it actually make people want to sign up and subscribe? If they'd placed these on the sidebar or footer of their site, it would be less intrusive, and I wouldn't mind them at all. So, what about you? What do you think?

Here are some of the comments from this article, back when it used to be posted elsewhere:

MsBiz wrote on January 28, 2015, 11:32 AM:
I typically don't like any email newsletters in general. If I want the information, I'll go to the website and look it up myself. Being forced or even pressured to subscribe really annoys me.

FreyaYuki replied to MsBiz on January 29, 2015, 4:17 PM:
Same here. I prefer to just go to the site if I want the info. I especially hate it when a popup ad or email subscription form suddenly shows up like you're being forced to sign up before you can read the article.

arthurchappell wrote on January 28, 2015, 11:32 AM:
The newsletter often turns into email alerts on every slight change on their website - best ignoring most of them.

FreyaYuki replied to arthurchappell on January 29, 2015, 4:25 PM:
Yeah, this is why I don't really sign up for online newsletters.

maxeen wrote on January 28, 2015, 11:38 AM:
I loathe them and it turns me off the original article I was reading.

FreyaYuki replied to maxeen on January 29, 2015, 4:30 PM:
Yeah. Same here. I find those popup ads or subscription forms really annoying. I wonder why sites do that. Are there really some people who don't mind suddenly getting popups when they're trying to read an article?

Bensen32 wrote on January 28, 2015, 12:26 PM:
I know exactly what you're talking about and hate them with a passion, I usually just close the whole page and figure I don't need to read the article after all. It is annoying though, I wonder how many people are like me and just close the whole page.

FreyaYuki replied to Bensen32 on January 29, 2015, 4:34 PM:
Yeah, I have to wonder the same thing. If there are lots of people like us who hate these popup ads and subscription forms, then how come some sites are still using these methods? Are there actually some people who don't mind getting ads and forms suddenly popup while they're trying to read something?

j2jworkz wrote on January 29, 2015, 3:22 PM:
I find them annoying as well! I prefer a sidebar option.

FreyaYuki replied to j2jworkz on January 29, 2015, 4:36 PM:
Yeah, I think the sidebar is a much better place for ads and subscription forms so at least they're not getting in the way of the content. After all, the people arrived at the site to read the article, not to see some ad or be forced to sign up for some newsletter.

Porcospino wrote on February 1, 2015, 1:01 PM:
The popups that you can close are annoying, but the popups that you can't close if you don't subscribe to their newsletter are worse. I usually get so annoyed that I just leave the site without reading the article.

FreyaYuki replied to Porcospino on February 1, 2015, 3:52 PM:
Yeah, I hate the popups, but at least you can close them. The ones that can't be closed are the worst. If I get annoyed enough, I don't even bother anymore and just quickly leave that site. I wonder if they even get any subscribers if they are being so forceful by shoving their sign up forms right in readers' faces? Wouldn't that just annoy lots of people?

AliCanary wrote on February 4, 2015, 3:37 PM:
Not fond of pop-up ads, and REALLY not fond of being forced to do stuff, so no, and no.

FreyaYuki replied to AliCanary on February 7, 2015, 9:46 AM:
Me too. I hate those popup ads and the popup subscribe to the site's newsletter ones. I have to wonder if there's someone who likes them though. Is that why these sites still bother to make use of these annoying popups?

AliCanary replied to FreyaYuki on February 7, 2015, 2:29 PM:
I guess it's like telemarketers--everybody hates them, but there have to be SOME people buying, or they wouldn't call! 😟

bestwriter wrote on February 5, 2015, 12:59 AM:
Honestly I have enough on my plate both offline and online that I hardly do justice to what is already there. So. No thanks 😃

FreyaYuki replied to bestwriter on February 7, 2015, 9:47 AM:
😃 I'm also really busy with a lot of stuff lately.

*Notes:
- This was previously published on Persona Paper on January 28, 2015, 11:25 AM
- Image is by GraphBerry (CC:BY-SA) from deviantArt