I’ve just read a couple of interesting articles and ensuing comments re: Writing prompts. Tanya at Salted Caramel asks in a recent post if her readers like responding to writing prompts. It’s an interesting article and generated a number of comments. Read it HERE.
Several bloggers have mentioned recently how they prefer it when posts aren’t too long and comments are brief (because there are often a couple dozen to read through.) One blogger says he rarely writes posts over 200 words. “Experience has taught me that the longer the tale, the fewer the readers.” Generally speaking, that’s true. So much is being offered on the internet smorgasbord that only the most interested or devoted readers will take the time to read long posts. I tend to skim through longer posts; I see from comments that other bloggers do, too.
Our Ragtag Daily Prompt today is HEALTH, a topic one could go on and on about these days, but I will heed the admonitions and keep it brief. Apart from the aches and pains of arthritis, I’m in fairly good health, thank you. 🙂
A couple of hours ago I looked out the window and saw that a jet had left a trail across our sky. From all appearances, that jet was NOT in the best of HEALTH. I quickly sat down and wrote a limerick about it:
The jet that flew over, belching, must not be too healthy, poor thing! Left behind such a squiggle, a bizarre sort of wiggle, you'd think it was on its last wing.
Christine's Collection 
Yup, I’d go along with brevity. Brevity in comments is particularly important since I have to eyeball them. At least posts, I can listen to. On posts that I write, my average words last year was 260 and so far this year, just 128. But I haven’t really tackled anything meaty yet.
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Thanks for your comment! Writing 100-word fiction helped me a lot, realizing how many words could be cut out and still get the point made. 🙂
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Yes I became far better at editing when I started writing more prepared posts (as opposed to just rambles). I find my limericks are good discipline – I want to say that and that, but have only x number of syllables to work with. The saving grace is often use the title of the limerick to provide some context.
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Brevity is good for keeping readers commenting and interested. But I do recall reading somewhere, a few years back, that the bots pick up on posts that are over 400 words. So, if you’re a writer who’s hoping to get noticed on here (similar odds to winning the lottery, I reckon) then brevity is not so smart an option.
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t 🙂
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It depends on my mood but yeah, when I see I have to scroll down to get to the bottom, I usually skip it. When it comes to the comments, I don’t bother reading them all, my goodness.. no, just scroll down to write mine 🙂 Those who use the Reader don’t even see the other comments. They go right in, say what they wanna say and leave!
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Re: the first part of your comment, I feel the same — and also wish people who post pictures would quit at half a dozen or so, and do more posts if they really want to show us their part of the world. I stop seeing when scrolling through twenty-some photos in one post. (People who enjoy photography may totally disagree.)
As to the second part, I guess you could use the Reader that way. I get posts notifications by e-mail — but even then I don’t read all the comments. Thanks for yours, by the way.
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I hear you. We all like what we like. I’ve been guilty of putting many photos but that is usually for a “Walktober” post – which is all about the photos.
I don’t like the Reader myself and get email notifications and will only read comments on certain blogs (because they are always so interesting – some just seem to attract great comments).
😊
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That is a fun verse.
Poor jet!
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Thank you. 🙂
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