Have a problem with paragraphing when writing letters

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Roberta Gallant  #146216  Sun, 09 Oct 05 07:36 PM

Hello, my name is Roberta Gallant and I reside in Concord, New Hampshire.  When writing letters, speeches, or testimonies -- I have a problem knowing when to start new paragraphs.  I just cannot identify where to break in paragraphs!  I need more help with this paragraphing situation now.  Please check the following five-paragraph essay about Elvis Presley:

Elvis Presley is a very handsome person.  Elvis sings and plays a guitar well.  He has attracted so many fans throughout the years.  He sang, "Are You Lonesome Tonight."  I love this song.

Roberta Gallant

New Hampshire

  
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Waïti  #146803  Tue, 11 Oct 05 11:46 AM

Hiya Roberta,

To me, your essay sounds like a 5 sentences single paragraph text. And I would agree with the adopted presentation : no 'carriage returns' between the sentences.

I'm not a native speaker but I would think the rules are more or less the same as in my mother tongue : you would start a new paragraph whenever you feel whatever you're going to say next is loosely connected or no longer connected to the previous sentence.
So for instance what you wrote above could be interpreted as an 'introduction' paragraph in a longer essay. Then you'd probably start talking about Elvis' childhood and you'd be saying for instance 'Elvis was born and raised in Memphis, Tennesse'. But since you'd then begin to talk specifically about his childhood, then you'd probably want to make it a new paragraph altogether.

How does all this sound ? Also note I tried to pay specific attention to how I 'paragraphed' this note...
Waïti.

  
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