How long is too long?

[AFriendlyFace]

Hello all,

 

Now I know this will come as a shock to many of you, but occasionally I tend to make fairly long posts (no, no, it's true ).

 

Recently I posted in a thread in the Soap Box then returned to reviewing a short story I've written. Once I clicked back into the story window I began to become suspicious of something. Copying and pasting the contents of my Soap Box post into word and using the word count feature my suspicions became confirmed:

 

Post in forum - 1,733 words

entire short story - 1,745 words

 

Yep, the entirety of my short story is only twelve words longer than my forum post! Granted, I do have a preference for short stories that just have a slice of life quality whereas I tend to pour my whole life's thoughts into my posts, but nevertheless I'm suspicious that this might not be common.

 

So my question to you is simple, is there a 'maximum length' when it comes to forum posts after which you will not read? And do you find long posts annoying?

 

Thoughts? comments? Hallelujah choruses now that I've finally noticed?

 

-Kevin

[Tiger]

The lengths of my posts vary to a certain degree. I have certainly never posted one quite that long. It's just not my style, and besides it would take a long time to write it. I might as well be writing a story if I'm going to spend that much time typing. I would say it depends upon how the post flows. A post of 100 words may be adequate in most cases, but if the words are not chosen properly or the content is not good, the post is unlikely to catch the attention of the reader. Rather, they are likely to skim it and move on to the next one. I would say anything more than 2,000 words for a post would be too much, but again, it depends on the content and the flow of the words.

[FrenchCanadian]

Like Tiger said,, the lengths of post varies from subject to subject... It depends if it requires it. But,,, when a post gets too long, well it's like any story, if it's not coherent, not well planned out, well it will get boring and people will either fast forward, or simply skip to the next post.

 

Also something that everyone can do to shorten the post to the maximum is, when you have a quote from a previous post (specially when it's a long one), to keep in the quotation only the part that is relevant and important to your post.

[Masked Monkey]

I just generally ignore anything you say anyway kevin, so lenght is irrelevant

 

Actually, I think length depends on the flow, at some point I stop paying attention.

[AFriendlyFace]

I just generally ignore anything you say anyway kevin, so lenght is irrelevant

Edited July 8, 2008 by AFriendlyFace

[Daisy]

I wouldnt worry too much, you have passion for what you are writing about, thats what matters. sometimes I do that and compared to everyone else's posts mines very lengthy, but its usually when I care or think about a subject alot. but I also have a bad problem of waffling so I need to check what I'm doing as often am sure mine could be lots shorter.

 

celia

Edited July 8, 2008 by Smarties

[Tiff]

My posts can be long, especially when commenting on a story. I tend to go on and on when the story really impressed me. But those are never as long as your posts! As for regualar topics, it varies, but no more than a few paragraphs.

 

Your posts do tend to be extremely long. You do have some great things to stay and I always start out strong when reading them. But slowly, the more I read, my eyes glaze over and my attention drifts...But I try!

 

Maybe cut to the chase and try to be as precise as possible? Or just don't worry about it in general. Some will read everything you write and others will either ignore it or try to skim it. The reason to post is to give your opinion or get your thoughts down. It doesn't really matter who reads it...all, right?

[Rakuten06]

My posts is all the time short (few words back and there) but bang-on (British slang for on-the-point), so I really overlook the long post for any summary of the point some people makes...

[ashessnow]

*sigh* I saw the topic title and thought of something way different . . . anyway, I say take as long as you want to express your feelings on a particular subject, but be concise about it. Say exactly what you mean to, dont make me try and figure it out. Or else, after reading a huge post about something, and I still have no idea what youre saying, Ima be pissed.

[AFriendlyFace]

Also something that everyone can do to shorten the post to the maximum is, when you have a quote from a previous post (specially when it's a long one), to keep in the quotation only the part that is relevant and important to your post.

I do this (case in point)

 

 

I wouldnt worry too much, you have passion for what you are writing about, thats what matters. sometimes I do that and compared to everyone else's posts mines very lengthy, but its usually when I care or think about a subject alot. but I also have a bad problem of waffling so I need to check what I'm doing as often am sure mine could be lots shorter.

Thanks Celia

 

My posts can be long, especially when commenting on a story. I tend to go on and on when the story really impressed me. But those are never as long as your posts! As for regualar topics, it varies, but no more than a few paragraphs.

And I think I can speak for most other authors when I say that we like and appreciate this very much!

 

Your posts do tend to be extremely long. You do have some great things to stay and I always start out strong when reading them. But slowly, the more I read, my eyes glaze over and my attention drifts...But I try!

Maybe cut to the chase and try to be as precise as possible?

I will try this more in the future. In fact I think I'm not too bad about being concise most much SOME of the time, but when I do get on a topic I care about or finding interesting I do tend to plug along for quite awhile.

 

Or just don't worry about it in general. Some will read everything you write and others will either ignore it or try to skim it. The reason to post is to give your opinion or get your thoughts down. It doesn't really matter who reads it...all, right?

Thanks Tiff! I agree with you here as well

 

 

*sigh* I saw the topic title and thought of something way different . . .

LOL, my posts my long, but I do know how to ehh 'package' them to make them appealing

 

 

anyway, I say take as long as you want to express your feelings on a particular subject, but be concise about it.

Thanks dude, I do try to do this.

 

Say exactly what you mean to, dont make me try and figure it out. Or else, after reading a huge post about something, and I still have no idea what youre saying, Ima be pissed.

Out of curiosity do you often have that problem with my long posts? I try to structure them fairly sensibly and I also take pride in being fairly clear with what I mean.

 

 

Anyway thanks for thoughts and replies guys

 

-Kevin

[steph]

one good thing, Kev, is that you never repeat yourself and you're always amusing.

 

personally, I think you are long-winded in mostly the right places. the soapbox is for rants, which can get long --so I think that's appropriate. whenever you post questions in the lounge, you usually post the question as a short initial post, and then your longer answer separately --that makes it easier to distinguish between the two. I think you just need to be concious to how many points you're making in one post. if you're making many points, keep the expounding to a minimum.

[sat8997]

I just generally ignore anything you say anyway kevin, so lenght is irrelevant

 

That made me laugh out loud.

[ashessnow]

LOL, my posts my long, but I do know how to ehh 'package' them to make them appealing

Hey, length one subject I can talk hours about.

 

Out of curiosity do you often have that problem with my long posts? I try to structure them fairly sensibly and I also take pride in being fairly clear with what I mean.

-Kevin

Oh, sorry, I honestly didnt mean you personally, that was for everyone. Too long of a post that says nothing and I just roll my eyes. And you should be proud, your posts always make sense. Some others though . . .

Edited July 8, 2008 by Nerotorb

[rknapp]

Most of my posts are short, but if I'm passionate about the subject, it shows in the post.

 

I have a rule of thumb for reading posts, though. if the persons signature is not visible when the their screen name is at the top of the browser window, I'll skip through most of the post. This gives a lot a of lee way because my laptop screen isa widescreen 17" with a resolution of 1920x1200 pixels and my desktop screen is a widescreen 19" with a resolution of 1440x900. If you're post is bigger than that, then I'm afraid that you're a *dum dum dummmmmm* typoholic!

[Former Member]

some of my posts have been really long while others have been really short all depends on the topic and how i feel about it.

[Tarin]

Too long? Generally I am complaining about posts that are too short.

So, mostly what I do is lurk nowdays, at most forums I frequent not just here. So I've had a lot of experience reading long and short posts, and several threads about long and short posts.

 

Personally, it depends on the formatting of the post. I hate large paragraphs, it makes me think novel rather than discussion. Press the return key a few times will you? This will usually shorten your overall post length anyway, as a one or two sentence paragraph must be more condensed than an overly drawn out paragraph.

Also when I see large paragraphs I often read the first and last sentence or line, just to get the idea. At least if it is nestled with other lengthy paragraphs.

 

Other musts include: Punctuation; if a post is long with horrid punctuation I will ignore it. If I want the opinion of a tween girl I'll phone my cousin. (Harsh? Yes. Also, my punctuation, while improper, is at least existant and you can see my efforts. I'm especially terrible with comma splicing.)

Content: Organisation. Even short posts can be repetative and boring. Come up with something new. (Yes, this post is a poor example of that.)

Topic: If the topic only vaguely interests me, no matter how amazing the post I won't read it.

 

rknapp's screen size is a good gauge of too long. My resolution is set about the same, but my cutoff is generally just before the screen's end.

 

*disclaimer: you as used as a general term, I'm not fingering Kevin or anyone else..*

 

Kisses,

Tarin of the Vast

[BeaStKid]

I don't care about the length of the post as long as it is ON TOPIC, gives sound advice, and is fun to read.

 

Kevin, I love your posts, btw...

 

BeaStKid

[Benji]

 

 

............Note to self, record this as Kevins shortest ever post. (even edited)

Edited July 8, 2008 by Benji

[BeaStKid]

............Note to self, record this as Kevins shortest ever post. (even edited)

 

Yeah, that would be a first.

 

Seriously, though, Kevin's posts, although lengthy, have a quality to them that just makes you wanna read them, no matter what. So, Kevin, don't worry about the length and be yourself when you post.

 

BeaStKid

[Benji]

 

Yeah, that would be a first.

 

Seriously, though, Kevin's posts, although lengthy, have a quality to them that just makes you wanna read them, no matter what. So, Kevin, don't worry about the length and be yourself when you post.

 

BeaStKid

 

 

.........Diddo!

[AFriendlyFace]

one good thing, Kev, is that you never repeat yourself and you're always amusing.

 

personally, I think you are long-winded in mostly the right places. the soapbox is for rants, which can get long --so I think that's appropriate. whenever you post questions in the lounge, you usually post the question as a short initial post, and then your longer answer separately --that makes it easier to distinguish between the two. I think you just need to be concious to how many points you're making in one post. if you're making many points, keep the expounding to a minimum.

Awww Thanks, Steph! That is what I try to do with the questions/polls I post, because I know ridiculously long first posts may kill the thread before it even starts.

 

 

That made me laugh out loud.

Hey! You're not allowed to ignore my typing; you're my editor!

 

Most of my posts are short, but if I'm passionate about the subject, it shows in the post.

Yuppers, I've seen you with quite a few long ones, Robbie. I always get excited when I see that you've got a long one for us.

 

*disclaimer: you as used as a general term, I'm not fingering Kevin or anyone else..*

I think I would have noticed that anyway

 

I don't care about the length of the post as long as it is ON TOPIC, gives sound advice, and is fun to read.

 

Kevin, I love your posts, btw...

 

 

Yeah, that would be a first.

 

Seriously, though, Kevin's posts, although lengthy, have a quality to them that just makes you wanna read them, no matter what. So, Kevin, don't worry about the length and be yourself when you post.

 

 

.........Diddo!

 

 

Awww thanks guys!

 

BTW, I really didn't create this thread so I could make a bunch of innuendos and double entendres...that was just an unexpected bonus

 

 

 

In any case, I feel like I've gotten some good advice

 

 

take care all

-Kevin

 

(BTW, do posts with lots of quotes count? I'm kinda notorious for using up my 10 quotes, but in cases like this all my responses to each were fairly concise)

Edited July 9, 2008 by AFriendlyFace

[Dion]

Maximum length of post directly corresponds to level of interest in the topic. Sometimes I read all of a long post and sometimes I skim through. I may even go back later and read the whole thing if something someone posts later piques my interest.

 

Kevin - my favorite posts from you are the ones where you respond to other peoples' posts. Oh - and the one you just did with a smiley. Eloquent.

[Tarin]

I think I would have noticed that anyway

Well, this forum is rare among forums I frequent because the average member here is not a complete idiot. Most places I go that is necessary to not offend, I guess it is habit now.

 

(BTW, do posts with lots of quotes count? I'm kinda notorious for using up my 10 quotes, but in cases like this all my responses to each were fairly concise)

Not if I have read the whole thread first. If I have read it all, then I don't need to read the quotes, just skim them. I actually prefer short quotes to just pointing out a member name, as often I forget who posted what. I'm terrible with names.

 

Kisses,

Tarin

Edited July 9, 2008 by Tarin

[BeaStKid]

(BTW, do posts with lots of quotes count? I'm kinda notorious for using up my 10 quotes, but in cases like this all my responses to each were fairly concise)

 

I don't think so. Usually, I like the way you personally respond to each and every one of the post on the topic at hand. And the best part is that you don't quote the whole thing, just the relevant part.

 

It is really irritating when all a post does is to refer one part of someone else's post and still the person quotes the entire post being referred to.

 

 

BeaStKid

[glomph]

d still the person quotes the entire post being referred to.

 

The one welcome exception is in the "Show Yourself" thread, where people keep repeating cute pictures in their quoting, so one can continue to see them on more than one page of the thread.