Writing For Today's Internet

I took a few days off last week from posting - always risky in the never-ending stream of instant online life. One can easily lose the battle for eyes on a web site in a nanosecond.

I often get advice from folks about how to write and present information online:

"Write shorter posts!"

"Everyone reads Twitter now - why are you writing such long stories?"

"Just use Facebook!"

"Just write about one thing - like bacon or cats."

"Go mobile - no one uses a PC anymore."

Perhaps brevity is the soul of wit and the heart of the Internet. I watched the movie "Drive" this weekend by Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn, and marveled at the uber-cool leading man's character to speak mono-syllabically, as I have never really been able to do that. I narratize even the simplest communications when speaking to folks, partly because I like to talk (probably too much), partly because I like providing details and contexts to evoke a story.

(Oh yes I loved "Drive" - and am a large fan of Refn's movies.)

Here's the deal - listening and reading should probably take up more time than talking, and for me, writing takes time too. Brevity does plenty well on it's own and does not need my help. And yes, I have taken to Twitter and Facebook, and most likely I'll use them to just include a brief link to what I write here. And if all you are reading today is brief wee sentences via those sites, you are missing out on the luxurious world around you.

I noted there was a line in the new movie "Contagion", which says "Blogging is just graffiti with punctuation." Wrong. That's Twitter (or Facebook maybe).

I forever reserve the right to create items both long, short, visual, or whatever I wish to share ideas which are published worldwide instantly. This is not to be taken lightly, and it requires whatever Time I decide to provide (or you to read).

Brevity might provide some longevity - but no one wants longevity to be brief.