“This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals–sounds that say listen to this, it is important.”
―
―
“The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.”
― The Picture of Dorian Gray
― The Picture of Dorian Gray
“We wrapped our dreams in words and patterned the words so that they would live forever, unforgettable.”
― Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders
― Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders
“We who make stories know that we tell lies for a living. But they are good lies that say true things, and we owe it to our readers to build them as best we can. Because somewhere out there is someone who needs that story. Someone who will grow up with a different landscape, who without that story will be a different person. And who with that story may have hope, or wisdom, or kindness, or comfort. And that is why we write.”
― The Graveyard Book
― The Graveyard Book
“You just want to stop existing,” Kaladin said. “You don’t want to actually kill yourself, not on most days. But you figure it sure would be convenient if you weren’t around anymore.”
― Rhythm of War
― Rhythm of War
Hoyt’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Hoyt’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by Hoyt
Lists liked by Hoyt



























