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T.L.D.R. -- Too Long Didn't Read

I've seen blog posts that barely hit the 50 word minimum to get a few points on Active Rain and I've seen Blog posts that go on and on and on. Even with paragraph breaks and bolded sentences or headlines and graphics it still seems like a lot to read...or is it?

I've always been of the opinion that if someone can write concisely and coherently it shouldn't take the equivalent of 10 pages to express themselves. On the other hand, if there is a lot to be said or explained or there's a lot of supporting research to present than maybe 500 words (or 5000) isn't enough.

I came across this cute little abbreviation - TLDR - when I was talking to some one about an e-mail that was sent around about some committee meeting or another. One of the participants said, "TLDR", meaning she didn't want to take the time to read through all the minutia. She wanted the meat and potatoes. Hold the bread and veggies and salad.

Blog posts are an almost daily occurrence for a lot of people. The purpose is to get them read (or maybe just load them up with keywords so only Google can read it). If our audience has a short attention span or our audience is reading lots and lots of blogs, maybe shorter is better.

What do you think? Should you just write what you want regardless of length and just risk the response of TLDR?

Posted by Ken Montville -- the MD Suburbs of DC on 02/12/2009 07:45 PM

Comments (14)

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14 Comments on T.L.D.R. -- Too Long Didn't Read

FEB

Great I might start using it - don't forget the comments that are longer than the blog.

Too short is not good enough and too long runs the risk of not being read. I am one of those who just read half of the blog when it is too long and just go on to the next one.

I tend to shy away from extremely lengthy posts, unless they're by someone I know to be a good writer AND they're readable - i.e., bullet points, images, menu-style bolding... Most super-short ones are best left short because they don't seem to have anything worth saying - not all, but most.

It depends on the content...But I prefer shorter posts that get to the point...Like yours.

I like that little acronym I am going to have to use that one time there are some that I click on and think oo god I cant read that it's TLDR

I like that little acronym too! Thanks for sharing it!

Ken, there are a few posts that go on and on and on and on and on and on.

If the point of the post hasn't been made after a paragraph or two or three, I tend to move on.

FEB

I've got a short attention span. I much prefer shorter posts. Usually if a post is too long I end up just skimming and may miss something.

I have a tendency to skip many of the longer posts, especially if they don't have any formating or graphics. Perhaps it is my AOADD....now figure that one out :-)

I have seen a couple of REALLY long posts. I read about 1/2. When I have a long post to write (once in a while) - I will be Part 1 and Part 2.

You can make it as long as you want, but I probably won't get through the entire thing. But then, I'm really lazy.

I think the topic is interesting to a reader they will read the blog. That said, even with an interesting topic I think if it gets to long you will lose the majority of the readers. Because of their nature, I think most people reading blogs or stories on the computer have short attention spans.

I DO click out if it very long and doesn't grab my attention in the first paragraph. Good writers can be concise- I see VERY long posts as self-absorbed. I also dislike the very short, twitter style, "Here I am- here's what I'm doing" posts. TSDC- (too short, don't care).

Wow! It looks like the trend is for blog posts that are short, sweet and too the point!

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