How can I shorten posts? Give me my life back.

14 years ago

After you write it, try breaking it into 2 or 3 posts instead of posting it at once.

Also, make sure your posts are "skim-able". Have clear headings and maybe some bulleted lists. Having information broken up that way makes it easier for a reader to stay interested.

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chumpschimps

14 years ago

Originally Posted by AmandaT

After you write it, try breaking it into 2 or 3 posts instead of posting it at once.

This is a great idea.

You can simply say, 'continued tomorrow/next week/next time, etc'

It should keep people coming back to your blog for the latest update, or installment.

And you'll be adding fresh content more frequently, but still doing the same amount of work as you are at the minute

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Sandor Verebi 14 years ago

Alan, I hear you.

Well... fellows gave great advices above.

As regards the length of your article, remember that the only rule is that there are no rules. Your article need to be as long that cover the essentials in a given topic. And, it need to be short enough to be interested in the reader.

You need to acknowledge that your readers aren't alike. People are with different interests, likes and dislikes. When you write an article, it will resonate with some people, while probably, boring others.

Best thing you can make, is you write as you feel comfortable. There are people who'll enjoy your style if you provide great value.

Of course, do not forget something. People have short attention spans, therefore, you need to ensure - by holding their attention - they are awake at the end of your article.

And, the lenght of your article may depend on your niche and topics. Studies show that writing longer article makes more sense and adds more value to your readers.

For me it has become to the fact that if it's a broad topic, then I breaking it up into article series, like Something1, Something2, Something3 and so on. This way I'm able to keep the reader's interest, and can explain all the relevant stuff out in its entirety.

Try that.

All the best,

Sandor
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Alan Ashwood

14 years ago

Part Five

Originally Posted by chumpschimps

This is a great idea.
You can simply say, 'continued tomorrow/next week/next time, etc'

It should keep people coming back to your blog for the latest update, or installment. And you'll be adding fresh content more frequently, but still doing the same amount of work as you are at the minute

Hmmm, not sure. I can see your point but don't you think that it might offend or frustrate visitors if they

... continued whenever.

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markowe

14 years ago

Oh man, if you find a solution, let me know!

Lately I have been simply breaking off posts when I realise they are too long, and saying "continued next time"..! That's better than going crazy, except when I really want to write an authoritative article, in which case, length is no object.

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vvsingh

14 years ago

As suggested above break long posts in to two or three posts like tutorials or add few more words and images to it, explaining every thing explicitly and then relase it as a short guide or mini e book.

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Shaun OReilly

14 years ago

To make your posts more concise, I'd recommend three
things...

1. Decide on Your Objective

What do you want the reader to do as a result of reading
your post?

Then make sure that anything that is included in your post
moves the reader in that direction. Cut out anything that
gets in the way.

2. Edit Ruthlessly

Write first and then EDIT ruthlessly later.

During the editing process - ask yourself - is this word/
sentence/paragraph really necessary?

If not, then remove it immediately.

3. Make Fewer But More Focused Points

Rather than trying to cover the whole topic with the major
and minor points, focus on the main essentials.

I like to focus on making 3-5 key points as it has more
impact and people remember them better.

In writing effectively, less is usually more.

Dedicated to mutual success,

Shaun

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Istvan Horvath

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly

2. Edit Ruthlessly

Write first and then EDIT ruthlessly later.

^^ This!

In my previous life I used to work at a daily newspaper as a journalist and, later, as an editor as well. Their slogan was: He, who writes long articles is capable of other crimes, too

Since on a printed newspaper page the space is limited, we had to cut/delete mercilessly anything that wasn't moving the story ahead. Once a reporter went to the deputy editor in chief telling him enthusiastically about a piece he just finished. "How long?" - the boss asked. "3 pages..."
"OK, cut the first one and show me the rest", was the answer.

Think as if you were writing for a paper publication: you have space only for XXX amount of words/pages and be as concise as you can.

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packerfan 14 years ago

Best writing advice I've ever received...

Don't use 3 words when 2 will do.

Learn to write like a journalist, it will solve this problem.
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tpw

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Istvan Horvath

^^ This!

In my previous life I used to work at a daily newspaper as a journalist and, later, as an editor as well. Their slogan was: He, who writes long articles is capable of other crimes, too

Since on a printed newspaper page the space is limited, we had to cut/delete mercilessly anything that wasn't moving the story ahead. Once a reporter went to the deputy editor in chief telling him enthusiastically about a piece he just finished. "How long?" - the boss asked. "3 pages..."
"OK, cut the first one and show me the rest", was the answer.

Think as if you were writing for a paper publication: you have space only for XXX amount of words/pages and be as concise as you can.

I always tend to have the most problems starting the article.

I have found that if I just put down what comes to mind, 90% of the time, I can cut the first 2-3 paragraphs from the article and my article will still be solid.

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TracyZ 14 years ago

I share your challenge.

My field is technical and I ran long when first writing articles. So now I make myself jot down an outline first (as others have suggested) along with 3-5 sub-points. In addition to keeping the article concise it helps build a headline and sub-headers that keep the article moving. Plus if you add keywords and the appropriate h1, h2, h3 tags to these elements it helps your SEO!
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Alan Ashwood

14 years ago

PART TWO

Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly

To make your posts more concise, I'd recommend three things...

1. Decide on Your Objective
What do you want the reader to do as a result of reading your post?
Then make sure that anything that is included in your post moves the reader in that direction. Cut out anything that gets in the way.

I never thought of it that way Shaun.
I want the reader to, a. Enjoy, and b. Get Value.

2. Edit Ruthlessly
Write first and then EDIT ruthlessly later.
During the editing process - ask yourself - is this word/sentence/paragraph really necessary? If not, then remove it immediately.

That is the way I do it. However I think when you're editing you own 'crafted' piece, it's hard to be objective.

3. Make Fewer But More Focused Points
Rather than trying to cover the whole topic with the major and minor points, focus on the main essentials.
I like to focus on making 3-5 key points as it has more impact and people remember them better.

I can't argue the logic shaun, but one of my frustrations is that very often, the info I receive has vital elements missing. Things like, 'why', 'how' and examples to support the sentence/paragraph. I don't want to leave my readers frustrated.

We can all write; "Pick a Niche", "Learn SEO", "Use Keywords" etc. For the newbies, this means zilch.

In writing effectively, less is usually more.
Shaun

Totally agree again. I used to write for newspapers, company monthlies, club magazines etc., with some success. I find Writing for People conflicts with writing for Search Engines. I need more traffic, so I have to use stoopid keywords. Very often it conflicts with my style (if I still have one).
Alan

.

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mariebnichols

14 years ago

Hi Alan Ashwood!

Maybe your problem deals with your style of writing. Try other techniques like making a bullet list of the key points that is important and should be in your article. Or you could also try to write freely then have the editing after you are finish with your write-up. When you edit, try to delete the unnecessary details. If this won't work try letting somebody have the editing for you.

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Alan Ashwood

14 years ago

Part Three

Originally Posted by mariebnichols

Maybe your problem deals with your style of writing. Try other techniques like making a bullet list of the key points that is important and should be in your article. Or you could also try to write freely then have the editing after you are finish with your write-up. When you edit, try to delete the unnecessary details. If this won't work try letting somebody have the editing for you.

Because of my checkered past, including brochure design and direct mail, I usually use bullets and lists to break up paragraphs, and draw the eyeline to imortant facts. But I just HAVE TO explain the items in the list!!!?
I ain't got nobody to edit it objectively (sad soul). I tried with my (soon to be ex) wife, and she said, "It's all cr*p! Get a job!".
Now that's constructive, don't you think?
Alan

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tpw

14 years ago

write the way you normally do, and then break posts into parts 1-5, to be published M-F

Originally Posted by AmandaT

After you write it, try breaking it into 2 or 3 posts instead of posting it at once.

Haha... You beat me to that idea...

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salikkhan

14 years ago

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WikiWarrior

14 years ago

Turn your really long posts into a series and break them up into parts. People love following a series and it will keep them coming back to your site, especially if you either email them when the next part is out and/or let them know at the end of each post when to expect the next one.

If it's more a case of you find yourself going off on a tangent then I like Shauns advice to be more ruthless editing, being concise and focusing on fewer points from the outset.

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Alan Ashwood

14 years ago

Part Six

Originally Posted by YOUniversityLife

Turn your really long posts into a series and break them up into parts. People love following a series and it will keep them coming back to your site, especially if you either email them when the next part is out and/or let them know at the end of each post when to expect the next one.

I'm currently writing a 12 part series. Trouble is, all the parts are still too long!

If it's more a case of you find yourself going off on a tangent then I like Shauns advice to be more ruthless editing, being concise and focusing on fewer points from the outset.

I have been aware of going off on tangents,and fight it all the time. My problem I think is that I keep finding ways to underline, or example/explain the point so it's idiot proof. Then, if I (confirmed idiot) can understand it, it's OK. Once I've substantiated myself, I find it hard to hack it back. Every sentence has become 'My Precious'.

I know I must learn to be more conservative with my words, but it's tough.

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DireStraits

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Alan Ashwood

I have been aware of going off on tangents,and fight it all the time. My problem I think is that I keep finding ways to underline, or example/explain the point so it's idiot proof. Then, if I (confirmed idiot) can understand it, it's OK. Once I've substantiated myself, I find it hard to hack it back. Every sentence has become 'My Precious'.

I know I must learn to be more conservative with my words, but it's tough.

Totally one of my biggest problems when writing, too.

I'm hell-bent on anyone being able to read my stuff and immediately understand exactly what I'm talking about. So I have this habit of not so much putting things in "layman's terms" by way of restricting my vocabulary, but reiterating my point numerous times using different analogies.

I wouldn't say it's necessarily a bad thing if it helps clarify your point, but one has to question when it's really necessary. Consider one's intended primary demographic and perhaps try to have a little more faith in others' ability to comprehend that which isn't written like an infant's early-learning book.

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tpw

14 years ago

Originally Posted by salikkhan

If your words are around 1000, then surely readers will go on deep sleep. Try to be on the topic, don't give much example and facts. Try to focus on your thoughts.

Maybe if "your words" are around 1000, "surely readers will go on deep sleep".

I can keep readers on the edge of their seats for 1500 words. I guess that is why I have made a ton of money as an article marketer.

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Alexa Smith

Banned 14 years ago

Originally Posted by tpw

Maybe if "your words" are around 1000, "surely readers will go on deep sleep".

I can keep readers on the edge of their seats for 1500 words. I guess that is why I have made a ton of money as an article marketer.

This ^^^^ exactly.

The answer to the problem described in this thread is not necessarily to make anything shorter. Keeping the length the same but changing the style of the content can often be a better answer.

The idea that "people don't want to read 1,000-word articles" is completely wrong. If they're really interested, they'll read articles much longer than that (and articles longer than that will lead to more sales, too). It's not the length itself that puts people off - it really isn't.

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Britt Malka

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Alexa Smith

The idea that "people don't want to read 1,000-word articles" is completely wrong. If they're really interested, they'll read articles much longer than that (and articles longer than that will lead to more sales, too). It's not the length itself that puts people off - it really isn't.

Very true, but since OP wrote that "I get caught up in the subject, and want to make them as useful as possible.", which to me sounded like he might be better off with some structure, before he wrote, I recommended an outline.

It's not the number of words that is important, but the quality. If you can say the same thing with 1000 or 500 words, I usually prefer the short version. But if you lack information with 500 words, oh, yes, I would be happy to read 1000.

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Alan Ashwood

14 years ago

Part Eight

Originally Posted by Alexa Smith

This ^^^^ exactly.

The answer to the problem described in this thread is not necessarily to make anything shorter. Keeping the length the same but changing the style of the content can often be a better answer.

The idea that "people don't want to read 1,000-word articles" is completely wrong. If they're really interested, they'll read articles much longer than that (and articles longer than that will lead to more sales, too). It's not the length itself that puts people off - it really isn't.

Careful what you write. I'd love to freestyle my writing, but surely, if you write for peoples, you'll never be found by Mr G etc? :confused:

PS Like your new Avatar.

Could make a happy man very old. LOL

Off to scoff now. (Deep voice, Austrian accent) I'll be back.

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Britt Malka

14 years ago

Lazyness works for me

Try to start with an outline, before you write your blog post. That way, you know what is absolutely necessary to say and you might end up with shorter, more focused posts.

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sbucciarel

Banned 14 years ago

Write the way you normally do and then go back and read and edit. Cut or rewrite anything that is redundant or could be said more concisely in fewer words. Once you learn how to say the same thing in fewer words, it will become second nature and you won't have to do as much editing.

It will be easier for your readers if you do this. Breaking it down doesn't really solve the problem. You probably don't really have 1,000 words full of information. Edited, you may have only 400 words of real information, and the rest just redundant or rambling.

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Alan Ashwood

14 years ago

Part Seven

Originally Posted by sbucciarel

Write the way you normally do and then go back and read and edit. Cut or rewrite anything that is redundant or could be said more concisely in fewer words. Once you learn how to say the same thing in fewer words, it will become second nature and you won't have to do as much editing.

It will be easier for your readers if you do this. Breaking it down doesn't really solve the problem. You probably don't really have 1,000 words full of information. Edited, you may have only 400 words of real information, and the rest just redundant or rambling.

You're right, I probably don't.

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ncmedia

14 years ago

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Alan Ashwood

14 years ago

Part Nine

Originally Posted by ncmedia

"There is no such thing as too long, only too boring".
I find that throwing in formatting on your proof read,
and spacing things out properly has a big effect on
how the audience absorbs the content.
One to one reads are still my fav's (to both read through or to write).

Take me on a journey!
Do it creatively and make sure that while I'm reading,
if I get bored and decide to start skimming - you have
stoppers wherever possible.

BAM!!!
Slap me in the face a few times.haha?
Make me laugh, or cry, or get mad at your marketing
ass for pointing out a truth that I suffer from, you
bugger how did you know?!
Oooo that's greasy baby!
Make sure your reads always have that greased slide
approach so the more your reader absorbs the deeeeeper
they get into that long winded train of thought you're
going through/describing.
Just
make
it
fun
and you won't suffer from writing long copy,
it will be your strong point instead

.
)

Huh? wha'? I must've dropped off.

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Claire Sharp

14 years ago

Write something that is direct to the point. Sometimes, when you read a long article seems boring. Especially when it is not well written.

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Bjarne Eldhuset

14 years ago

When you know "everything" about a topic, but don't want to write "everything" in one article, it may be usefull to set some boundaries for your blog post/article before you start writing.

You have a 1000+ word post on your blog titled "Why Many People Fail At Internet Marketing". I see you have 6 main reasons in the blog post.

If you titled it "The 3 Main Reasons Why Many People Fail At Internet Marketing", you would have to stop at 3 reasons, which would probably make the article shorter.

Nothing stops you from making anoter post with 3 more reasons, or chop a long post into parts, like mentioned before in this thread.

Another thing you can do is to think of each paragraph of your text as the answer to a question.

What is the question?

What is the shortest answer to that question? Cut out everything that does not answer the question.

Also, you may want to make your points in descending order of importance. That way, it's easy to cut text from the bottom of your article/post.

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fluffythewondercat

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Bjarne Eldhuset

If you titled it "The 3 Main Reasons Why Many People Fail At Internet Marketing", you would have to stop at 3 reasons, which would probably make the article shorter.

3 Big Reasons Why People Fail At Internet Marketing

If you want me to read your stuff, don't use equivocation words like "many" or "some." "Main" is boring, use an attention-grabbing word instead.

I have the opposite problem from Alan: I usually say everything I need to in fewer than 200 words. Brevity may be the soul of wit, but I'm not sure it's good for SEO.

fLufF
--

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Bjarne Eldhuset

14 years ago

fluffythewondercat: You're right, that was a dull example. I only used it to show that you could structure your article that way, but a better title wouldn't hurt.

I thought about writing that in the post, but decided not to, as I wanted to shorten my post

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fluffythewondercat

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Bjarne Eldhuset

fluffythewondercat: You're right, that was a dull example. I only used it to show that you could structure your article that way, but a better title wouldn't hurt.

I thought about writing that in the post, but decided not to, as I wanted to shorten my post

I don't mean to beat up on you, Bjarne; I was actually thinking about the many young writers who are so afraid of offending that everything they write is equivocal. I see it frequently with guest post submissions to Best of Fiverr, and I'm guilty of letting one or two slip through.

fLufF
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tpw

14 years ago

Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat

I don't mean to beat up on you, Bjarne; I was actually thinking about the many young writers who are so afraid of offending that everything they write is equivocal. I see it frequently with guest post submissions to Best of Fiverr, and I'm guilty of letting some of them slip through.

fLufF
--

Indeed.

I love the quote, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."

But, I like carrying that idea one step further...

The difference between a SEO-article writer and a real writer is that the former will beat around the bush for 500 words and never say anything at all, while the latter will say with an unshakeable confidence what the reader needs to hear.

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Istvan Horvath

14 years ago

Originally Posted by tpw

The difference between a SEO-article writer and a real writer is that the former will beat around the bush for 500 words and never say anything at all, while the latter will say with an unshakeable confidence what the reader needs to hear.

I LOVE IT!

Can I use this as a "guideline" when hiring ghostwriters?

I don't, actually, believe in 'seo-writing'... and I always get shocked when half of the forum tells newbies to start with writing gigs.

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tpw

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Istvan Horvath

Can I use this as a "guideline" when hiring ghostwriters?

I do.

Originally Posted by Istvan Horvath

I don't, actually, believe in 'seo-writing'... and I always get shocked when half of the forum tells newbies to start with writing gigs.

I don't believe in "seo-writing" either.

I have always stood behind the idea that if you are going to write, write for your readers first and foremost.

Write for the human first, and then touch up your copy on the final edit, to give the search engines what it needs to truly understand the context of what you have written.

I am also shocked when people advise new people to take up writing to make money, especially when the Original Post is lavishly decorated with misspellings and poor grammar.

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Alexa Smith

Banned 14 years ago

No indeed; I don't believe much in "seo-writing" either, and it was when I stopped thinking in terms of "keyword density" that my articles started producing steady and growing income for me. Maybe because people were actually reading them.

It seems canonical that no new member will be allowed to start a "How Can I Make Money Online?" thread here without a handful (sometimes even a substantial "handful") of Warriors advising them to provide an article-writing service, regardless of their standard of literacy. And then people wonder why there are more people wanting to write $5 articles for marketers than there are marketers wanting to buy them. :rolleyes:

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tpw

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Alexa Smith

It seems canonical that no new member will be allowed to start a "How Can I Make Money Online?" thread here without a handful (sometimes even a substantial "handful") of Warriors advising them to provide an article-writing service, regardless of their standard of literacy. And then people wonder why there are more people wanting to write $5 articles for marketers than there are marketers wanting to buy them. :rolleyes:

More often, $5 article writers are confused as to how anyone can make a decent living as an article writer.

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Scott Kennedy

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Alexa Smith

No indeed; I don't believe much in "seo-writing" either, and it was when I stopped thinking in terms of "keyword density" that my articles started producing steady and growing income for me. Maybe because people were actually reading them.

It seems canonical that no new member will be allowed to start a "How Can I Make Money Online?" thread here without a handful (sometimes even a substantial "handful") of Warriors advising them to provide an article-writing service, regardless of their standard of literacy. And then people wonder why there are more people wanting to write $5 articles for marketers than there are marketers wanting to buy them. :rolleyes:

I actually really like it when this happens. It means more people are able to see how substandard a $5 article is and that's when my orders start to really kick into overdrive.

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Alan Ashwood 14 years ago

Part One

You have once again proved what extremely talented beautiful sexy people you are.

This is a general Thanks to everybody who has contributed so far. Believe me, this input is sorely needed. The more the merrier.

As there were a lot of different points of view, I'd like to reply almost individually, so there'll be several posts from me to avoid MAKING THIS POST TOO LONG.

Hugs

Alan
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- tpw 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Alan Ashwood
  
  You have once again proved what extremely talented beautiful sexy people you are.
  
  Ha!!!
  
  I am going to tell my wife that Alan thinks I am "beautiful and sexy"... Then ask her why she doesn't anymore... :p
  
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  Michael Oksa 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by tpw
  
  Ha!!!
  
  I am going to tell my wife that Alan thinks I am "beautiful and sexy"... Then ask her why she doesn't anymore... :p
  
  Better eyesight?
  
  ~M~
  
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  "Ich bin en fuego!"
  
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tpw

14 years ago

Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat

I have the opposite problem from Alan: I usually say everything I need to in fewer than 200 words. Brevity may be the soul of wit, but I'm not sure it's good for SEO.

SEO is the only refuge for people who cannot influence others with their words.

If brevity moves your readers to take action, then you will likely find more eyeballs AND more click-through traffic to your offer.

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turryrunner

14 years ago

After you write it leave it alone for a day. When you come back set a timer for 30 seconds and skim your article. You'll be able to see what needs cut.

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Michael Oksa

14 years ago

I'm with fluff...

When I write my blog posts for our weight loss blog, I rarely hit more than 300 words. My problem isn't writing too much, it's being too laconic. However, I think therein lies a potential solution:

Make sure you are sticking to one topic, and that all of your points are relevant to your take on the topic. If you do that, you should naturally write as many words as you need...whether it's 1,000 or 200 won't matter.

That being said, it's always a good idea to go back through your article and trim out any bloated phrases and excess fat.

All the best,
Michael

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Michael Oksa

14 years ago

Hi Alan,

If I may, I went to your blog and chose a short selection from it.

Because these are downloadable, you can pace yourself as you learn. You can return to any tutorial to check anything you’re not sure of, and you have permanent reference library to refer back to at any time.

I personally saw some "fat" there, and thought it may help if you saw an example of how I would edit it if I had it as a proofreading job. What follows is personal preference, and based on my style.

Because these are downloadable, you can set your own pace and refer to them as needed.

I'm not saying it's better, but it's an example (hopefully a helpful one) of my fat-trimming style. It works out to 37 words vs. 16.

Also, with all due respect, I didn't find the design of your blog to be welcoming. Again, that's a personal preference thing, but it didn't say "read this" to me.

All the best,
Michael

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Tsnyder

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Alan Ashwood

Hi Warriors

Need a bit of advice here please. My problem is verbage.
I always write original posts on my blogs, as I find rewriting PLR etc., if it's already well written, proves just as time consuming.

The problem I've got is that most of my posts are toooooooo long.

I get caught up in the subject, and want to make them as useful as possible. The trouble is that while they may be useful, I think their length makes the reader fall asleep or leave the building. Most of them are in excess of 1000 words, which means I don't write enough new ones to feed the blogs.

Do you extremely talented beautiful sexy people have a technique for keeping things brief, while still keeping the content valuable?

Please. I'd like my life back to do other things!

Cheers

Alan

PS I write long posts in the Forum too.

Yawn
.

Simple... type fewer words.

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JohnMcCabe

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Istvan Horvath

I LOVE IT!

Can I use this as a "guideline" when hiring ghostwriters?

I don't, actually, believe in 'seo-writing'... and I always get shocked when half of the forum tells newbies to start with writing gigs.

I'm not shocked at all.

I actively avoid reading 'seo writing' because I always feel like I leave a few IQ points behind.

On the other hand, there is a market for it and it's much easier to either learn or fake than actual writing. I'd just like to see it called something besides "writing", perhaps "text coding" or something.

Alan, based on your statement that 'sometimes you just get caught up in a subject', I'm inclined to believe that length is not the problem. When I slip into that state, I tend to ramble, go down side trails, etc. I'm guessing you do the same. A combination of starting with at least a bare-bones outline and some ruthless editing should leave you with more efficient posts.

Just be careful not to edit the flavor out of your prose...

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tpw 14 years ago

Originally Posted by Michael Oksa

Better eyesight?

~M~

Haha!! Maybe...

Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe

Just be careful not to edit the flavor out of your prose...

Great advice.
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Bjarne Eldhuset

14 years ago

Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe

I'd just like to see it called something besides "writing", perhaps "text coding" or something.

Data entry?

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tpw

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Bjarne Eldhuset

Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe

I'd just like to see it called something besides "writing", perhaps "text coding" or something.

Data entry?

I was thinking of something more like this:

Rubbish Bin
Stinky Fish
Cheap with no appreciation for value
OMG, did he even go to grade school
Really? WTF?
Must be one of my neighbors
Everlasting Drivel
Worse than dishonest
Dazzle them with brilliance, or baffle them with bullsh1t
My hick cousin taught you how to write?
Inbred linguistic skills
Saved from the trash bin
You can't recycle that
I could keep going for hours about the garbage that some are trying to pass off as writing :p

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Alan Ashwood

14 years ago

Part Ten

Originally Posted by Bjarne Eldhuset

When you know "everything" about a topic, but don't want to write "everything" in one article, it may be usefull to set some boundaries for your blog post/article before you start writing.
You have a 1000+ word post on your blog titled "Why Many People Fail At Internet Marketing". I see you have 6 main reasons in the blog post.

If you titled it "The 3 Main Reasons Why Many People Fail At Internet Marketing", you would have to stop at 3 reasons, which would probably make the article shorter.
Nothing stops you from making anoter post with 3 more reasons, or chop a long post into parts, like mentioned before in this thread.

Another thing you can do is to think of each paragraph of your text as the answer to a question.
What is the question?
What is the shortest answer to that question? Cut out everything that does not answer the question.
Also, you may want to make your points in descending order of importance. That way, it's easy to cut text from the bottom of your article/post.

Interesting way of looking at it.

Originally Posted by Istvan Horvath

^^ This!

In my previous life I used to work at a daily newspaper as a journalist and, later, as an editor as well. Their slogan was: He, who writes long articles is capable of other crimes, too

Since on a printed newspaper page the space is limited, we had to cut/delete mercilessly anything that wasn't moving the story ahead. Once a reporter went to the deputy editor in chief telling him enthusiastically about a piece he just finished. "How long?" - the boss asked. "3 pages..."
"OK, cut the first one and show me the rest", was the answer.

Think as if you were writing for a paper publication: you have space only for XXX amount of words/pages and be as concise as you can.

Good rationale. I'll keep that thought in mind.

Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat

3 Big Reasons Why People Fail At Internet Marketing

If you want me to read your stuff, don't use equivocation words like "many" or "some." "Main" is boring, use an attention-grabbing word instead.
I have the opposite problem from Alan: I usually say everything I need to in fewer than 200 words. Brevity may be the soul of wit, but I'm not sure it's good for SEO.

fLufF

I hadn't thought of it that way. I do tend to steer away from extreme statements, which I guess just leaves the weak ones.
I wish my wife would say everything she needs in 200 words or less.

Originally Posted by tpw

I always tend to have the most problems starting the article.

I have found that if I just put down what comes to mind, 90% of the time, I can cut the first 2-3 paragraphs from the article and my article will still be solid.

I have trouble starting. Then again in the middle. And as for the end - it just evades me.

Originally Posted by Michael Oksa

I'm with fluff...

When I write my blog posts for our weight loss blog, I rarely hit more than 300 words. My problem isn't writing too much, it's being too laconic. However, I think therein lies a potential solution:
Make sure you are sticking to one topic, and that all of your points are relevant to your take on the topic. If you do that, you should naturally write as many words as you need...whether it's 1,000 or 200 won't matter.
That being said, it's always a good idea to go back through your article and trim out any bloated phrases and excess fat.

All the best,
Michael

I liked the idea of trimming the fat off a weight loss article. :p

Originally Posted by Michael Oksa

Hi Alan,

If I may, I went to your blog and chose a short selection from it.
I personally saw some "fat" there, and thought it may help if you saw an example of how I would edit it if I had it as a proofreading job. What follows is personal preference, and based on my style.

I'm not saying it's better, but it's an example (hopefully a helpful one) of my fat-trimming style. It works out to 37 words vs. 16.

Also, with all due respect, I didn't find the design of your blog to be welcoming. Again, that's a personal preference thing, but it didn't say "read this" to me.

All the best,
Michael

Thanks for going to the trouble - much appreciated,and I agree with you on the design. I've been hunting for a replacement free theme which would be cleaner and fresher, but to no avail so far. Has to be a free one as my wife's taken the house, the cat and nigh on all my money, so it's a bit of a squeeze at the mo' (understatement).

Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe

I'm not shocked at all.

I actively avoid reading 'seo writing' because I always feel like I leave a few IQ points behind. On the other hand, there is a market for it and it's much easier to either learn or fake than actual writing. I'd just like to see it called something besides "writing", perhaps "text coding" or something.

Alan, based on your statement that 'sometimes you just get caught up in a subject', I'm inclined to believe that length is not the problem. When I slip into that state, I tend to ramble, go down side trails, etc. I'm guessing you do the same. A combination of starting with at least a bare-bones outline and some ruthless editing should leave you with more efficient posts.

Just be careful not to edit the flavor out of your prose...

Me too.

.

Thanks
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Alan Ashwood 14 years ago

Part Eleven

Have you noticed how long this thread is now?

Maybe what I've got is contageous?

Thanks everybody, I am writing copious notes - long ones of course.

Cheers

Alan

PS. If you ever need a very long article or guest blog, which wanders and rambles, and takes ages to get it's destination- I'M YOUR MAN!
.
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Alan Ashwood 14 years ago

Part Four

Originally Posted by Tsnyder

Simple... type fewer words.

Never thought of .......
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absolutelee

14 years ago

Do you really want to shorten your posts? Why not write fewer posts per week? If you've got really good in depth content, then at some point, your audience will reward you for it. If, on the other hand, your 1000 post could have been just as easily written in 250 words, then, yeah, you need to shorten it.

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MacS09

14 years ago

Fascinating thread. Love it. My favourite maxim:
"What doesn't need to be said, needs not to be said."

It's hard to edit out stuff from your own masterpiece. But asking "is this really, utterly and absolutely necessary?" will help.

Try reading your post/article from the end, section by section or paragraph by paragraph. Read it aloud. If it stands up on its own, it's probably OK. Mostly, though, I found that I can cut and improve at the same time.

I guess it's just a matter of finding a method that suits your temperament.

Regarding length, if something is well written, I am usually hugely relieved and read it. What's unbearable are the ramblings of inarticulate self styled gurus whose inarticulateness (inarticulation :confused

is generally only exceeded by their illiteracy.

Does this sound elitist? So be it.

Max

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How can I shorten posts? Give me my life back.

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