"if you can’t write your idea on the back of a calling card, you don’t have a clear idea."
pare down your replies to one paragraph (5 sentences) or less. remove adverbs. stick to the overall point of your message and don't tangent off into personal stories. if you have several sentences that all try to say the same point, cut them out and reduce it to one. ask a friend to read over it before sending.
example of an edit, using your second paragraph containing 66 words:
"I did try shortening my response. I believed it was short enough, but the responses (serious or not) are deserved."
by removing all the fluff, i reduced your paragraph to 20 words; less than 1/3 the length.
note how your second and third sentences are a longer version of the first and features a lot of unimportant detail, so it was easy to cut out and maintain the point. the third sentence conveys your personal view ("i believed it was short enough") so it does have some merit to remain partially intact, but it can be merged with the fourth sentence which contains your personal observation of the situation (but the responses are deserved").
the best lesson is to learn when you don't need to talk, though. as said before, you can just delete things before you send them, and it's a real therapy practice.
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(frozen comment) Re: 100x777 argument
(Anonymous) 2025-01-10 01:07 am (UTC)(link)pare down your replies to one paragraph (5 sentences) or less. remove adverbs. stick to the overall point of your message and don't tangent off into personal stories. if you have several sentences that all try to say the same point, cut them out and reduce it to one. ask a friend to read over it before sending.
example of an edit, using your second paragraph containing 66 words:
"I did try shortening my response. I believed it was short enough, but the responses (serious or not) are deserved."
by removing all the fluff, i reduced your paragraph to 20 words; less than 1/3 the length.
note how your second and third sentences are a longer version of the first and features a lot of unimportant detail, so it was easy to cut out and maintain the point. the third sentence conveys your personal view ("i believed it was short enough") so it does have some merit to remain partially intact, but it can be merged with the fourth sentence which contains your personal observation of the situation (but the responses are deserved").
(frozen comment) Re: 100x777 argument
(Anonymous) 2025-01-10 01:17 am (UTC)(link)the best lesson is to learn when you don't need to talk, though. as said before, you can just delete things before you send them, and it's a real therapy practice.