Comments on: Length of Blog Posts

By: Vijaya K

Vijaya K — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:37:30 +0000

I have a different perspective about writing, a little weird though!

While writing, author should not care about who reads, who does not, how many subscribers it attracts. Should write as if no one in this world is going to read it; only then one can write ones mind and heart out, without any inhibitions, prejudices.

By: skimpy

skimpy — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:22:42 +0000

of course being concise works. and it is an art. hope to imbibe that as days go by.

as i’ve mentioned in some other comments, if you write well, then length doesn’t matter. for example Prem Panicker (of Refidd, India abroad, etc.) writes humongous essays. but he writes them so well that people don’t mind.

By: skimpy

skimpy — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:21:24 +0000

ah ok. thanks

By: skimpy

skimpy — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:21:10 +0000

see – i’m willing to try read a long piece if someone has recommended it. but in case of a “blind check” a long post will put me offf

By: skimpy

skimpy — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:20:35 +0000

actually i thought of this post after checking out Sidin’s blog only. went to whatay.com and saw that each of the top few posts was huge. and that put me off and i didn’t bother to read it. it’s different when someone has recommended something to you. but for blind test, length => jai only

By: skimpy

skimpy — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:18:51 +0000

that is true. if you write long stuff quality needs to be there. basically the required maximum length of blog post varies inversely with the quality

By: Bargava

Bargava — Fri, 29 May 2009 18:51:48 +0000

I agree with what you tell – I have observed myself that I’ve taken eons to finally put enthu to read your long posts – while anything that takes not more than 2 min is something I read right away (so, I agree that anything around 500 words is a good place to start).

One thing that Amit Verma told in one of his recent interviews was that as time went by – he was able to realize and make his points concise. And I tell you – that really works. Not everyone who subscribes to your feed in the blogosphere would know you personally. I think a long post(say – all posts on the marriage scissors are long – but they are excellent fundaes) once in a while will work – but not a long post every other time.

By: Vamsi

Vamsi — Fri, 29 May 2009 18:04:18 +0000

Somehow I never felt that your posts are extra long. My enthu feelings dramatically increase looking at the title of the blog rather than its length

By: anantha

anantha — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:46:29 +0000

Recent reader here, but I have gone through exactly the same things you mention. Sometimes we (at least I do) tend to put fundaes with so much enthu that the post never ends and tends to bore people that dont share same enthu.

I also agree with Aadhist. If you are networked, you will get positive feedback regardless of the length. It’s a percentage game. More people read, more chance that someone will agree with/like what you write, regardless of length.

By: Aadisht

Aadisht — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:42:19 +0000

Though of course if you are able to get a point across concisely it is even better. But for things like Sidin’s legendary post on South Indian names the charm was in the fact that it rambled on for so long without get stale.