Brevity

Important?

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  • http://levite.wordpress.com jon

    yes. When the question is answered enough.

  • http://levite.wordpress.com jon

    yes. When the question is answered enough.

  • http://ardentwriter.com Kai

    It all depends on your message ;)
    You mcould say something in one word – or a handful – confuse people and then they’ll say ‘no’. To whatever it is you’re offering them.
    On the other hand, there are some things that you just have to keep short.
    It puts me in mind of the best microfiction story I ever read. It was by Ernest Hemmingway, and was only six words long. It made me think – and that’s where brevity is good – if it doesn’t confuse, but instead, lets you consider possibility, that’s the best kind of short message.
    Almost tangental to this is the ‘short versus long’ salesletter rant that I’ve been writing for weeks and should be up on my blog on Friday. As a writer, it’s something that I’m really passionate about and something that I think others are too.

  • http://ardentwriter.com Kai

    It all depends on your message ;)
    You mcould say something in one word – or a handful – confuse people and then they’ll say ‘no’. To whatever it is you’re offering them.
    On the other hand, there are some things that you just have to keep short.
    It puts me in mind of the best microfiction story I ever read. It was by Ernest Hemmingway, and was only six words long. It made me think – and that’s where brevity is good – if it doesn’t confuse, but instead, lets you consider possibility, that’s the best kind of short message.
    Almost tangental to this is the ‘short versus long’ salesletter rant that I’ve been writing for weeks and should be up on my blog on Friday. As a writer, it’s something that I’m really passionate about and something that I think others are too.

  • http://www.principledinnovationblog.com Jeff De Cagna

    No.

  • http://www.principledinnovationblog.com Jeff De Cagna

    No.

  • http://deys.ca/ Bill Deys

    Absolutely, but I’m not the best at it. I try but it never works out!

  • http://deys.ca/ Bill Deys

    Absolutely, but I’m not the best at it. I try but it never works out!

  • http://thenextweb.org David Petherick

    Yes.

    Brevity is clarity.

    But it’s difficult.

    David

  • http://thenextweb.org David Petherick

    Yes.

    Brevity is clarity.

    But it’s difficult.

    David

  • http://twentytwowords.com Abraham

    Yes, especially when it is understood as a relationship between length and content.

    Worthwhile brevity is not just about being brief, but about being as brief as possible with the content at hand.

    This may mean writing a sentence; it may mean writing a thousand pages.

  • http://twentytwowords.com Abraham

    Yes, especially when it is understood as a relationship between length and content.

    Worthwhile brevity is not just about being brief, but about being as brief as possible with the content at hand.

    This may mean writing a sentence; it may mean writing a thousand pages.

  • http://stevegarfield.com steve Garfield

    Depends.

  • http://stevegarfield.com steve Garfield

    Depends.

  • http://stickylife.tumblr.com/ Toby

    Yes.

    Critical to effective communication.

    Shows respect for other people’s time.

    Brevity, however, can come across as being curt. Please don’t forget your P&Q’s!

  • http://stickylife.tumblr.com/ Toby

    Yes.

    Critical to effective communication.

    Shows respect for other people’s time.

    Brevity, however, can come across as being curt. Please don’t forget your P&Q’s!

  • http://curiouslypersistent.wordpress.com curiouslypersistent

    Assuming the message being communicated isn’t comprimised; yes.

  • http://curiouslypersistent.wordpress.com Simon

    Assuming the message being communicated isn’t comprimised; yes.

  • http://www.managementetmoi.blogspot.com/ Monsieur J

    Yes!

  • http://www.managementetmoi.blogspot.com/ Monsieur J

    Yes!

  • http://bob.finch.org R.E. Finch

    A while back, I tinkered with a demo blog (http://is.gd/FAJ) that focused on brevity. In a previous job, my press releases could be no longer than 150 words, so I used that as the standard for my posts.

  • http://bob.finch.org R.E. Finch

    A while back, I tinkered with a demo blog (http://is.gd/FAJ) that focused on brevity. In a previous job, my press releases could be no longer than 150 words, so I used that as the standard for my posts.

  • http://www.joshklein.net Josh Klein

    Omit needless words. Write for scanning. People are busy.

  • http://www.joshklein.net Josh Klein

    Omit needless words. Write for scanning. People are busy.

  • http://twitter.com/chris24 Chris Thomson

    Yes.

  • http://chris24.ca Chris Thomson

    Yes.

  • http://davefleet.com davefleet

    Be brief, be clear, be gone.

  • http://davefleet.com Dave Fleet

    Be brief, be clear, be gone.

  • http://mrontemp.blogspot.com/ Ontario Emperor

    Context?

  • http://mrontemp.blogspot.com/ Ontario Emperor

    Context?

  • http://chris2x.com Chris Christensen

    Occam’s Razor. As brief as necessary but not more brief.

  • http://chris2x.com Chris Christensen

    Occam’s Razor. As brief as necessary but not more brief.

  • http://www.warriordevelopment.com Jarrod – Warrior Development

    Brevity important? Not a fundamental concern. Do exactly what needs to be done and it is taken care of.

  • http://www.warriordevelopment.com Jarrod – Warrior Development

    Brevity important? Not a fundamental concern. Do exactly what needs to be done and it is taken care of.

  • http://sachendra.com sachendra Yadav

    Very

    Saves time.
    Getting the point across clearly is key though, which mustn’t be compromised.

  • http://sachendra.com sachendra Yadav

    Very

    Saves time.
    Getting the point across clearly is key though, which mustn’t be compromised.

  • http://conniecrosby.blogspot.com Connie Crosby

    Sometimes.

  • http://conniecrosby.blogspot.com Connie Crosby

    Sometimes.

  • http://meshugavi.com Avi Kaplan

    Here one word -> a conversation. Context plays a role in that power too. My inclination? Brevity in this community of readers with common interests and awareness of the kind of conversation on this blog go further than in other contexts. Context at least plays a role in the direction brevity leads to. Do others disagree?

  • http://meshugavi.com Avi Kaplan

    Here one word -> a conversation. Context plays a role in that power too. My inclination? Brevity in this community of readers with common interests and awareness of the kind of conversation on this blog go further than in other contexts. Context at least plays a role in the direction brevity leads to. Do others disagree?

  • http://www.disruptiveconversations.com/ Dan York

    It depends.

  • http://www.disruptiveconversations.com/ Dan York

    It depends.

  • http://israeliwinedirect.com Richard Shaffer

    E.B. White’s book on writing has great tips. I need to go re-read it now!

  • http://israeliwinedirect.com Richard Shaffer

    E.B. White’s book on writing has great tips. I need to go re-read it now!

  • http://www.simonyoung.co.nz/ Simon Young

    Hell yeah.

    Brevity = usability.

    How many great ideas never get acted upon, because people don’t have time or space to experience them properly?

  • http://www.simonyoung.co.nz/ Simon Young

    Hell yeah.

    Brevity = usability.

    How many great ideas never get acted upon, because people don’t have time or space to experience them properly?

  • http://www.mofata.com Ryan Cooper

    So much that it’s the name of my blog :)

  • http://www.mofata.com Ryan Cooper

    So much that it’s the name of my blog :)

  • http://www.conversationware.co.uk Matt Lambert

    Brevity is as important as levity.

  • http://www.conversationware.co.uk Matt Lambert

    Brevity is as important as levity.

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