请大神帮忙，应该return 什么，关于这个函数还有没有更好的编法？？？

def y():
    for x in range(1,z+1):                                  #x:the number what you want
        m=str(input("string %i:"%x))
        n.append(m)
    return n
n=[]
z=int(input("How many items do you want in your list ?"))
print(y())


def p():
    total=0
    for q in n:
        print("The length of the string %s is :%i"%(p,len(q)))
        total += len(q)
    return
print(p())