September 13, 2015 By Marisa Moks-Unger

How Many Words Do I Need?

Brevity…how many words do I need?

Today let’s look at brevity: (noun) 1. exact wording. For example, the word itself is refreshing. How many words do I need is a common question when creating content. Yet much of the business, academic and journalistic writing found today runs in one of two camps, which are polar opposites: Classics versus Modernists.

The Classic Camp

Classic business writing encourages long passive constructions, featuring polysyllabic Latin and Greek utterances. It flaunts an assumed power by the sheer number of character spaces consumed on such sentences.

The Modernist Group

The second is the Modernist group. Minimalists at heart they prefer the staccato of 140 character status update on Twitter feed. How many words one needs can be confusing. This use of words is becoming more of a compression of language, a code if you will. IDK.

Finding Balance

Striking a balance is ideal, but most writers and composition instructors are in favor of lean, active construction. The Greek philosopher, Pythagoras of Samos said it well: “Say not little in many words, but much in few”. For a man remembered for his mathematical theorem, he definitely had an angle on brevity.

The right length of an essay corresponds with good fashion advice.

As a middle school student, I clearly remember a brief explanation on brevity from my Language Arts teacher. Miss Alexander taught us “the length of an essay is like a girl’s skirt. Long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to keep it interesting”. Her definition came at the height of the Women’s Movement, which explains why the skirt reference was indelibly marked in my brain decades later.

Putting It All Together

Different writing projects call for different approaches depending upon the audience. Product descriptions, business letters, and manifestos tend to run short. Business plans, articles and Curriculum Vitaes are typically long. The key is to have a clear understanding of what your writing needs are and what you hope to accomplish.

About Marisa Moks-Unger

"Grow Your Flow" is a creativity blog by Marisa Moks-Unger, who has over 20 years of professional writing experience. If you enjoyed this post, please share on your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram accounts.

Scrabble Words for Flow

Create a Word Bank from Scrabble

Word Lists from Scrabble — First play the game, then get writing from your curated word list.

Sunday afternoons find my husband, mother-in-law, and I playing Scrabble. This ritual helps us to pass the time during the pandemic. The games usually run one to two hours. We have taken these games to a new level by anticipating them each week, then carefully crafting our word choices. It helps that all three of us are avid readers and come up with a variety of interesting diction.

Also, the game gets my mother-in-law’s mind off of the local paper’s with its teeming death notices of Covid-19 victims – most from local residential living facilities. And, she is now interested in the fact that I am using these word lists to write from professionally.

Next, free write for a few. Make a list of the words developed during the game. Then use the list as a springboard to write a creative piece using as many of the words as possible. Play with long and short lines. Add some rhymes. Look for alliteration. Give yourself about 10 minutes. See what images appear.

Then, select a genre or two to carry through. As a theme arises from the free write of the word list, follow the lead. Perhaps a poem rises up. Or, a one-act play. Or, both! Choose one genre knowing that you can come back and create more works from any single topic.

Now, it’s your turn! If you have a Scrabble game somewhere hidden in a hall closet, it is time to get it out and try your hand at this writing tactic. It employs procrastination by allowing you to blow off writing at first by playing a game. Then, you are rewarded for the time you invested in the game by writing a piece from the words you and others generated.

Here’s to growing your flow,

Marisa

TGIFF – Thank God It’s Friday Flow

Cliché Finds Flow on Friday

Congratulations, you’ve made it to Friday. And, at the workweek’s end, there is time to find flow. But, where do you go to find flow? First, realize that flow can happen anywhere at anytime. Need proof? Look at this past post on finding flow in a card and party goods store. Simply click right here: https://wewriteitright.com/visit-flow-in-a-party-goods-shop/

How Gratitude Leads the Way

Use grateful eyes to take in the world around you. Then, instead of planning to hit the bars and clubs when the clock strikes 5:00 PM, other options present themselves during these times of pandemic. Why not take a virtual tour a museum? Or, take a walk or bike ride through a park? Or, spend an hour working on a poem, and essay, or a blog post. When you are grateful for the options you have – even if you are working from home amid shutdowns – then that is enough.

Your Turn

Playtime creates greater flow. — Spirographs, Etch-a-Sketch, and Slinkys are just a few ways to re-enter flow through playtime. What was your favorite activity as a child? When was the last time you tried it as an adult?

Think back to grade school, junior high, or middle school. Think about the electives that you took that helped round out your schedule. Did you take dance or music classes? Weight training? Or, perhaps, like me, you did candle making. Whatever it might be, try to reunite your lost teen with your adult self. Take time to write, dance, sing, paint, or play with your Spirograph! You’ll be glad you did!