Short Post vs Long Post
October 10, 2008 by BloggerNewbie
“Short Post vs Long Post”
I often struggle with the length of each post. Are my posts too short? Would people rather have long posts?
(DON’T FORGET TO VOTE IN THE POLL ON THE SIDE BAR!)
I am sure this is totally my own opinion but I think some people like to hear themselves talk or in this case 
see themselves type! I think they lose the average reader before they even get to their point..it’s very annoying. I like to read a few different blogs every day and frankly I don’t have time to read blogs where the author likes to hear or read themselves talk.
I just read a post (skimmed) of almost 2000 WORDS! Yes, I counted them. I know, I say I don’t have time to read something that long yet I have time to count words? Well I just couldn’t believe how much I was reading and I hadn’t read anything. Anything except that I would eventually be reading something. The first 529 words were about what the post was about?? This post could have been written in totally less than half the words this author used.
Before I even got to topic I was already thinking blah blah blah, where is the content. Come on people! There is so much good stuff out there but get to it. I don’t have time to read a book every time I visit a blog. I always miss something when I skim the post. Whenever I skim instead of read the whole post, I ask a stupid question or make a point already discussed in the comments section.
Some topics are lengthy and they should be. That would be an article. Articles are great! I have about 50 of them downloaded on my computer. If you want to and you are able to post an article everyday then great. Please don’t post 2000 words for the sake of having a 2000 word post!
I’ve already said enough about that! What do you think? Participate in the poll on the side bar. The poll will run until the end of the month. Stop back often and check the ongoing results.
Toodles - Blog Happy!
“The test of literature is, I suppose,
whether we ourselves live more intensely for the reading of it…”
- Elizabeth Drew
*Update: Short post won by a landslide. 80% of those who voted prefer short posts!
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i agree with you totally. Get to the point when you are writing about something.. and longer doesn’t always mean better.. more times than not its not better. Well have a good day!
Like I said, the long post is fine if you have something to say. The problem is when your post is long without saying anything!
DON’T FORGET TO VOTE IN THE POLL ON THE FAR RIGHT SIDE BAR!
For day to day blog material I like short to medium posts, I only like long posts for the occasional feature article… Too much to take in one sitting otherwise!
@ Ross
Exactly! Especially the lengthy “article” that takes 500 words to say anything. Spit it out. We are busy. Thanks for your vote. I’m anxious to see the end results.
Well, I prefer short posts. I also notice that I have much readership when my posts are short and stimulating.
@ WD Favour
I am glad you prefer short because the majority of my posts are short and that’s what I like as well! Thanks for the visit.
I definitely prefer short posts, unless there is need for detail in answer to some question. No only do I not have the time to read long ones, I don’t have the time to write them.
@ Naturalplus1
I couldn’t agree more on both counts! I like to read a variety of posts and I can’t do that if they are too long. If they have to be long, make sure you have something to say!
I find it interesting that the break you make between long and short is 800 words. Personally, I tend to think of any post greater than 500 or 600 words as being long. Now, I like long posts. I just put one up that is almost 800 words, but it is interesting to thing about what makes something long or short.
Perhaps more important, however, is not the length, but how focused the post is. If it just rambles on and on, with no direction, 200 words can seem long. However, if there is a clear point, ideally in the first paragraph, that then gets expanded on, 2000 words can be quite enjoyable.
My two cents for now,
Aldon
Aldon Hynes’s last blog post..Reading Postman at a Democratic Town Committee
@ Aldon
Actually, I looked at most of my posts and not many of them were over 800 words.
I agree with the substance of the post. If you have something to say and it takes you 2000, 3000 words, whatever, great. Say it. But don’t put words down to put words down.
Thanks for your input!
Great discussion here.
I particularly love to write longer posts. But in this busy world, blog walkers prefer short posts. So i usually do a mixture of them. Though sometimes I cannot contain myself till I spill everything I know.
I guess the range should be 300 - 1000 depending on the posting frequency. If i put lot of effort to put a great point, I give some time before the post gets fossilized.
Just my 2 cents
@ Shri
Most of my posts would be considered short. I do believe however, that there should be a core group of longer posts (which I’m working on)
Interesting discussion! When I start writing I don’t have a particular length in mind. I start with something I want to share or a story to tell. Usually it comes at around 800 words .. I never thought of this as ‘long’, but reading these comments I’ll for sure check whether I’m getting to the point quickly enough. I get fewer comments than I’d like, and without comments it’s hard to know if anyone’s actually reading (even if the ’stats’ tell me they are). Oh, well. Guess it just takes time!
Ian Peatey’s last blog post..Working downstream
@ Ian
I love a “can’t put down novel” so length is not necessarily the issue - IF you have something to say. It’s the “blah, blah, blah” for the first 500 words promising something great that is a time stealer!
It is hard to judge your own posts! Sometimes I think I cut it too short and don’t get the WHOLE point out!
That’s another post - a good number of visitors yet very little comments? hmmm
I don’t mind a long post if it is something I’m especially interested in but most people online don’t have long attention spans so it’s best to make posts shorter. I know I can be long-winded. I think people should still write long posts if they want to but then break them into 2-3 parts and make it part of a series.
Kim Woodbridge’s last blog post..(Anti) Social-Lists 10/26/08
Hey Kim: Glad to see you stop by! If I’m researching something or trying to learn something then, yeah I don’t mind a long post at all. And you are right about the attention span, I’m “most people”. I just don’t have time and I want to visit lots of sites!
Great post.
I often wonder about how my “audience” is perceiveing how I write - shot vs long - detailed vs sketch.
I love your blog!
James H.
http://serviceafol.blogspot.com/
James H’s last blog post..Opening Doors
@ James
Thank you for the kind words.
I often wonder the same thing. I often have difficulty getting it all out without putting too much blah blah in! Sometimes I get to the point too fast and miss a couple steps!