The Need to be Brief

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

The average attention span today is about eight seconds. That's compared to over 12-seconds just a few years ago. There is too much information out there with more things competing for our attention.

 

I would have written a shorter letter if I had more time.

 

Who first said that?

[Randy W]

Boxers or briefs?

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

The quote, "I would have written a shorter letter, but I didn't have the time" speaks volumes when it comes to brevity. Who cares anyway with attention spans of less than eight seconds.

 

The quote is often attributed to Mark Twain, but it was French mathematician Blaise Pascal who probably said it first.

[Randy W]

Well, there's a real art to putting what you need to say into the right words - and the right number of words.

 

Sorry, it just went right over my head the first time around.

[Thomas Promise]

Einstien said that there will come a day that we will be flooded with information but starving for knowledge.

[Mick]

I think Hemingway was great at telling a descriptive story using fewer words than most writers. He honed his skills as a journalist, first in Toronto and then with the Kansas City Star. I remember a professor I had in graduate school once used this example, which compares Hemingway's style to other writers. One of the examples was:

 

"The dark nimbus sky hung heavy and pregnant over the soon to be torrent filled streets." (unnamed novelist)

 

"It's going to rain." (Hemingway)

 

Earl Hamner, who wrote the novel and short stories the TV series The Waltons was based on, once said that writing was a lot like cooking. He said adjectives are great things, but like chili peppers, should be used sparingly.

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

I think Hemingway was great at telling a descriptive story using fewer words than most writers. He honed his skills as a journalist, first in Toronto and then with the Kansas City Star. I remember a professor I had in graduate school once used this example, which compares Hemingway's style to other writers. One of the examples was:

 

"The dark nimbus sky hung heavy and pregnant over the soon to be torrent filled streets." (unnamed novelist)

 

"It's going to rain." (Hemingway)

 

Earl Hamner, who wrote the novel and short stories the TV series The Waltons was based on, once said that writing was a lot like cooking. He said adjectives are great things, but like chili peppers, should be used sparingly.

 

Hemingway had the skill of being able to look at life before it got dressed and had it's coffee.

 

Not so long ago there were Americans we called "Humorists", who were good at poking fun at the stupid things we all do. But, they could do it in a funny way. Will Rogers knew how to do it:

 

 

I love words but I don't like strange ones. You don't understand them and they don't understand you. Old words is like old friends, you know 'em the minute you see 'em. -- Will Rogers

Edited February 24, 2014 by ExChinaExpat (see edit history)