Go to I WRITE, THEREFORE I AM
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- Go to Short...long...or in-between—what’s YOUR preference??
that's right Quirky. if only some bloggers would let me loose on their work with a few surgical instruments ;-)
posted by
Azur
on August 29, 2005 at 12:43 PM
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yea...exactly...
it depends on the subject matter...
posted by
Marshallengraved
on August 29, 2005 at 9:30 AM
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Isa--
Some subjects require length while others don't.
posted by
Julia.
on August 29, 2005 at 8:48 AM
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MayB--
No matter what the length, it would be a rare piece that can't be tightened, even if only a little bit.
posted by
Julia.
on August 29, 2005 at 8:47 AM
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Lensman--
smooth is definitely preferable to bumpy!!
posted by
Julia.
on August 29, 2005 at 8:46 AM
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Meringue--
Well...nuttin' wrong with that, really--I'll go see!
posted by
Julia.
on August 29, 2005 at 8:45 AM
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zoke--
oh my--that is one scary thought! lol.
posted by
Julia.
on August 29, 2005 at 8:39 AM
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krisles--
as we both said, it is a matter of personal taste. Some people feel cheated with short posts, others love them...there is no right or wrong, good or bad, just an individual preference. And even then, it's not written in stone.
posted by
Julia.
on August 29, 2005 at 8:39 AM
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Bright--
You'll get no argument from me on that!
posted by
Julia.
on August 29, 2005 at 8:38 AM
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Georgia--
Sometimes--not always--less IS more.
posted by
Julia.
on August 29, 2005 at 8:37 AM
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It depends...
it really depends on the subject matter and on what i have to say...it can be short or very long...i have no specific rules when i start writing an article...
posted by
Marshallengraved
on August 29, 2005 at 2:24 AM
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Long, long, posts
Sometimes I do let mine run on too long and I know it but sometimes I just want to say what I want to say. I almost always go back and reduce them a bit.
posted by
Azur
on August 29, 2005 at 12:52 AM
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Quirky
I think I might have written a short post once 
First off, I agree that every effort should be made to trim and tighten things, but it's impossible to write for everybody. I write what feels good and then just take my chances with the clicks. I'm with the folks here who say it depends on the story. Some just can't be knocked off in two paragraphs. I don't mind if it's a long ride or a short ride. I just want a smooth ride. If it's bumpy, I get out and walk to the next blog.
posted by
Lensman
on August 29, 2005 at 12:47 AM
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I usually write pretty short ones myself
but my recentmost is pretty long!
posted by
Meringue
on August 29, 2005 at 12:04 AM
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you should teach writing
and possibly be a sex therapist on the side.
posted by
zoke
on August 28, 2005 at 10:07 PM
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Quirky
Well, of course, I'm the world's worst offender with the long posts....sometimes I'll write them and sit on them and go back and edit and take out a lot of words (and that's probably hard for some of you to believe!!)...and occasionally, I actually write a short one to start with!! But, usually, I write like I talk....and, I probably always will on here. I'm honestly not a big fan of short posts....and I know that's the jouralistic ideal....and I understand why....I just like to get a feel for more of the personality of the writer in blogs.....just a matter of personal taste; and I know I lose a lot of readers.....maybe someday I'll learn to control my bad habits!!
posted by
Krisles
on August 28, 2005 at 8:59 PM
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Quirky..
It all depends on the topic.. If I am interested then I don't mind a little extra length in the post.
posted by
BrightIrish
on August 28, 2005 at 7:30 PM
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Quirky
I totally agree! I fall victim to writing too much at one time too. That is one reason I love tanka and haiku as poetic forms. It makes you really get to the heart of the matter!
posted by
Georgia
on August 28, 2005 at 6:05 PM
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MayB--
It can be hard to see how our own work can be tightened, and an objective, impartial eye will spot things we are too "close" to. I too, have found others helpful in the editing process.
posted by
Julia.
on August 28, 2005 at 5:40 PM
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Flight--
Yes, if a story is well crafted and draws me in, I'll read every word no matter how long it is.
posted by
Julia.
on August 28, 2005 at 5:23 PM
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The ideal is that each word earns its place. A couple of times in the past I have edited a version of friends' posts and emailed it to them to suggest how it may be tightened up. They liked it. I had someone do that once with a poem and I learned from that,
posted by
Azur
on August 28, 2005 at 5:22 PM
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spitfire--
exactly, that's what I just said in my comment to Medusa...if it *needs* to be long, then yeah, go long...I print out some once in awhile too cuz' reading on a computer totally sucks.
posted by
Julia.
on August 28, 2005 at 5:21 PM
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pakner--
thanks for stopping in this evening.
posted by
Julia.
on August 28, 2005 at 5:13 PM
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Medusa--
It is an individual preference, to be sure...I don't mind "long" when the words are there because they need to be there--but to ramble when it's not necessary, that is when I think editing can make a piece stronger.
posted by
Julia.
on August 28, 2005 at 5:12 PM
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It all depends on the writing & story. Last night I could not stop reading Lensman's story ahout his mother. He took us with her for a dramatic episode, with no wasted words. It was as though we were there. On the other hand, a short to-the-point post of current interest, can be meaningful, too. Good post right here!
posted by
reasons
on August 28, 2005 at 5:08 PM
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Excellent advice Quirky
Works well here and elsewhere. I do make some exceptions in the fiction category, a few of the stories there captivate me all the way through. Thanks for sharing the great tips!
posted by
Katray2
on August 28, 2005 at 5:03 PM
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Quirks, I TOTALLY agree.
I often find myself actually printing out the post if it is of interest to me and I want to read it. It's just that it's hard to read a really long post on the computer. (I save the printed out ones to read at work, hehe) I understand that some posts just come out that way if it's a long story to tell, but many long posts, I find include much unnecessary info that don't pertain to the point or story.
posted by
SpitFire70
on August 28, 2005 at 4:50 PM
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thanks for sharing , you're so generous..i'll take your word for that, little by little i'll try to improve my craft. again, thank you ever so much...
posted by
pakner
on August 28, 2005 at 4:30 PM
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Quirky, I always compliment you for your brevity and accuracy...
In other words, you nail it right---brief and to the point.... My style is a longer one, but I am trying to work on cutting down excess words and paragraphs....I try to cut my paragraphs into shorter almost staccato pieces, if I am using that word properly. Then there is writer, Lensman, who writes longer posts, and every word sits like a jewel upon your tongue. So in some cases, I like them long, haha...Don't go there, Quirky...But your point is well-taken. Sometimes, though, and I hate admitting this, but I will. I feel the teeny posts did not take much effort while I labored and labored. It just looks that way. But, brevity in writing is quite hard, especially when it's good like yours.
posted by
MedusaNextDoor
on August 28, 2005 at 4:19 PM
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