Newspaper editors in the old days had two must-do prompts for their story tellers: Keep it SHORT, keep it FOCUSED.
These prompts are as relevant today as in the 1930s. Unless you are a star reporter with years of exposure under your belt, today's chances of attracting the undivided attention of any reader for your 3,500-word essay are very, very low indeed.
On-line writing addresses an audience of mostly younger people who have not been taught methodical reading of books. Hardbound print is not extinct, but it isn't exactly daily fare for people in their 20s and 30s. Flitting moments dominate on-line existence. Image is king. E-book readers have created a whole new world.
If you hope to make your mark in the "social media" circus, you need to begin by learning how to be SHORT AND FOCUSED. The best machine gunner is the one who controls his weapon by firing short, aimed bursts. Fire-and-forget eats up ammo and rarely hits anything of importance.
Keep your urge to post mini books, instead of 500 words max posts, under control. Make every word (like every bullet) count. I know you need to demonstrate to the world that your lineage emerges straight from the Tolstoy family, but there's time for that if you are so perfectly gifted.
The rest of us MUST conform to the ultimate rule: KEEP IT SHORT, KEEP IT FOCUSED.
Try it. You won't regret it.
PS: Average potential reader scanning of any post is under 5 seconds. Length is the NUMBER ONE visual inhibiting factor that will chase your potential readers away....
