Last week one of my favorite blogs (of the non-IF type), Wait But Why, posted an article on Facebook that highlighted them. It was about how in a world heavy on brevity (i.e. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), there is still an appreciation and a place for longer format writing. Depth does matter, and their is an audience for it.
Yes, it may be a bit ironic to be sharing this article on a Microblog Monday. However, from time to time, I have read that some in the blogging community wonder if blogging may be fading off or becoming less relevant. I think this article points to no, and it encourages people to keep writing, keep the depth, and keep telling your story or writing about what you are passionate.
On the flip side, I also love Microblog Mondays. It can serve many purposes. It can offer flexibility and give permission for the writer to mix it up or stretch the space. It can foster the habit of writing. It also reminds me of poetry. Poetry seems so powerful to me. Most often in a poem a person can express depth in a condensed way and each of the words seems so carefully chosen. It is not that long essays do not involve the laborious, critical eye of carefully selected words. They involve different skills and I find it more challenging to cut out words (as evidenced by this post).
Depth and power can be found in the long and short. There is room for all kinds of writing.
Microblog Mondays
I love this! I find that Microblog Mondays are a challenge for me because I am not so good at the brevity. But some stories need that depth, right? I loved your thoughts on poetry. I am teaching a book written in poetry to my 8th graders right now, and we spent some time today talking about free verse, and the power of saying something in as few carefully chosen words as possible, capturing just the essence of the image or mood or event that you want to portray. Even my comments are long! I agree, it's challenging to cut out words, and long and short writings both have their places, for sure. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Glad to see this post spoke to you and neat that it ties into what you are teaching. No worries on the length of comments. I enjoy the opportunity for dialogue. Sometimes we have more to share.
DeleteThis is the second time this week that the article you linked to popped up before me. I had it bookmarked, but now I think I need to bump it up on the to-read list.
ReplyDeleteCool! Hope you enjoy the read!
DeleteI definitely think there's a place for both in-depth writing, as well as shorter formats. My friend Greg says something like a blog post should be as long as it takes to convey an idea effectively and concisely. In other words, as long as it takes – but not longer!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. And yes, a blog post can be as long or as short as it needs to be to convey its message.
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