I agree with you especially about not being to verbose. If it is too long winded, I skip by it. Give me the meat and potatoes. If I want something else, I can add that to my plate as well.  Have a GR8 '08!  8-)

Really good.

Followed your own advice too!

I fully agree.  Some of the posts here and long and boring.

Good blog post, overusing pictures can be as distracting as too many words.  Good advise for the new year!!

Good advice for us novice bloggers

Good list - you make a good point that often when blogging it is easy to forget the simple rule - keep it simple and interesting.

Your rule #4 is something I continually work on.  I find myself much too chatty and go back and edit my posts often, deleting whole sections.  Thanks for the reminder!

Jonathan this is excellent advice.  Even your picture proves your point.  I sometimes worry that my posts are too short and I make them too long in the process.  ha ha  I need to remember it's OK to keep it short and sweet.

Happy New year to you, Sara and your loved ones! 

Super advice Jonathan. I struggle with words and try to keep it short if possible but I've always felt they should be longer.

Happy New Year.

JW,

Great post as usual.

blogging comes from the heart and mind.

Thanks for the tutorial.  Good advice.

Blogging for AR is a different animal then blogging for clients & customers, that's for sure.

Hi Jonathan,

Great advice! If the post is long it has to grab my attention from the start, nice graphic! Happy New Year! :)

I struggle with posts I think I have to write a book. Thanks for the post maybe it will allow me to make my point and shut up. Thanks

Jonathan - Wait now... Should we use little words or few words? I believe that you could shorten that by just saying.

Be concise.

Hi Jonathan, this is simply great advice and I will use it. Best to you in 2008

Ryan - Brevity is even shorter ;)

Christina - Fair enough, but I think concise is a better word choice in this case ;-)

Jonathan, Thanks!! There have been several blogs lately about length of blogs so it is really nice to have your thoughts!! As an adult with ADHD and a form of Dyslexia mine are always short and to the point. :) Happy New Year!!

Jon: I have such a hard time with short.... It's the darn Virgo....tooooo much detail. Just think if I didn't cut some out !!!!! Happy 2008 to you and everyone!

Michael, meat and potatoes - your making me hungry - why did you do that to me? I am trying to get out of the house to go workout.  Can't exercise with a full stomach.  I'll get side aches.

Mary Ellen, I knew people would be checking to see if I followed my own advice to I had to be extra deliberate.

Gary, Just cause a post is long does not mean it's boring, and I have seen my share of short and boring posts.  I think the point is to be conscious of your medium and recognize that a blog has special characteristics.

Kate, Thanks for you comment.  That wasn't a point I was trying to make in my post, but it is a good observation.  Be concise not only with your words, but with your pictures as well.

Russ, I am glad you liked it.

Kevin, Simple and interesting.  I used to fail miserably on both accounts with long and uninteresting posts.  Now my posts are much shorter and only fall short on the interesting point! lol

Kris, Don't kid yourself.  You are a blogging genius!

Maggie, Happy new year Maggie!!! You are one of the "sweetest" bloggers on the Rain. ;)

Monika, My wife can go on and on (writing and talking) describing an idea or event in the most detail imaginable, and it is always so interesting. I can spend a week thinking of the most profound concept and then when I try to write it down or tell someone about it, it only takes a sentence or two, and never wows anybody.  I am trying to learn to embrace my cut to the chase nature.

Scott, Thanks for the encouragement!  Made my morning that you thought this post was "great as usual"! First time anyone ever said that.

Dan, thanks.

Christina, Very good point. I may amend my post to say that this does not usually apply to Localism type posts.  Which to me should be more designed for SEO optimization.

Suzanne, Yes! I think a lot of people above assumed that I was saying that a post cannot be long.  Often a blog post warrants a lot of words.  I mostly was trying to get the idea of hooking the reader early on.

Terry, Me too.

Ryan, Smart ass. ;) Thanks for the tip.  I amended the post.

(Your comment really was a good suggestion and I appreciate it. Sometimes kidding doesn't come across on a blog, so I just want to make sure you know I was just kidding.)

Pat, Glad you liked it!

Christina, Thanks for having my back!

Jo, I close friend of mine has ADD and their post are usually really long, as they bounce around from point to point. ;)

Sally, I love your posts.  Don't you dare take advice from me. Could you imagine the AR uprising if I influenced a change to your blogging style?

Jonathan - Yes, I am. Thank you for amending the post, it was really starting to stress me out. I think your post is now far more concise :-)

Now, THAT is concise, the title is good, I love your opening.  But tell me, what does the picture have to do with this.  In fact, what is it?

Seriously - GREAT advice, and I hope it gets featured on the Newbie sie.  Wait, there are some "Oldies" who could benefit from reading this, too.  Concise...  I'd better shut up.

thanks for the good advice... will try and implement for the new year.

thanks for the good advice... will try and implement for the new year.

thanks for the good advice... will try and implement for the new year.

thanks for the good advice... will try and implement for the new year.

thanks for the good advice... will try and implement for the new year.

Jonathan... good job on commenting back on your posts... 

I try to subscribe to the

• tell them what you are going to tell them
• tell them
• tell them what you told them

theory.  

I don't always accomplish it though...  

Thank you for the reminder. 

You mean you actually read my posts? Okay...what do you want....lol!

Don't be silly. Of course I read your posts.  I read a ton.  Just not a big writer. Until now.

Oh goodness...you're answering all too ... this IS a new leaf you all are turning over....writing and commenting.....I think it is absolutely fabulous....now I know who I am sucking up to :)

Sally, I never turn away a suck up. I am easy like that. By the way, would you like some bonus points?

Great advise.  Thanks for the info.