The Art of Crafting Succinct Content

The Importance of Brevity

In our experience, readers are not inclined to wade through extensive amounts of information, no matter how well written, to understand the ideas presented. If two identical newsletters are published, one with a lengthy article and the other with a condensed version of the same, the former will see a higher number of unsubscribes. This observation underscores the importance of brevity in content creation.

The Magic Number: 750 Words

We've found that the optimal length for an article is 750 words or less. Personally, I strive to keep all the articles I write for our newsletters under this magic number. If I find that I've exceeded this limit, I critically review the article. More often than not, it can either be shortened or split into two separate pieces.

Most modern word processors, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs, have a word count feature. Regularly checking this as you draft your article can help you maintain the desired length without needing to rewrite it later.

Formatting for Readability

Another crucial aspect of crafting reader-friendly content is to word wrap at 65 characters per line. If you don't, readers may receive your article in a format that is challenging to read. Many email clients default to 65 characters per line, while others default to a higher number. If an email wrapped at 80 characters is received by a client set for 65, the formatting will be disrupted, making the content difficult to read.

Almost all email clients will correctly display 65 characters per line. This format also requires less eye movement, making it easier to read. If this is the case, there's no reason to consider using a longer line.

If you don't have a sophisticated word processor, "Word Pad" will suffice. First, set your margins using "Page Setup" under the "Files" Tab to .25 inches on the left and 1.5 inches on the right. Select the "Courier New (Western)" font with a font size of 12. This will give you exactly 65 characters per line. Other margins and font sizes will work, but ensure you are getting the correct number of characters per line.

Estimating Word Count

Now, you can estimate your word count. Assume an average of 9 words per line. There will be short lines and blank lines between paragraphs. If your article is around 80 lines long or less, you should be in the ballpark. This article, for example, is 56 lines. The actual word count is 506 - close enough? You may vary a bit on the actual count, but at least you'll have an idea of the length of the article and be close to that "magic number".