Forget About Word Count & Focus On Good Writing
Should you strive to make every article reach the infamous 7 minute mark?
Before I even started publishing consistently on Medium, I was obsessed with reading articles that promised the key to success on this platform. In one of these articles, I learned that 7 minute long articles lead to more recommends. However, I’ve come to realize that good writing is what ultimately paves the path to success, not arbitrary numbers.
Is A Longer Article Necessary?
A higher word count isn’t the mark of a successful story. We rave over poems that are often less than 100 words. Our toddlers beg every night for their bedtime stories, but a children’s book can contain less than 500 words.
I used to try to make my articles at least 600 words, or about 3 minutes long. While 600 words isn’t much, I still found it tedious to keep a set word count in my mind. Then, I found a Few Words. Engaging articles on everything from writing to relationships were curated on the homepage, but the one thing they all had in common? Quality writing under 500 words. This publication has proved that length and first-class writing don’t correlate.
Quality and Quantity
While filling a blank page with black text can help get you in the flow of writing, the final result shouldn’t be word vomit. If you manage to make every word of that 3,000 word article captivating, then go for it. But, if the most valuable ideas you want to convey can be captured in less, then why add more?
Don’t burn yourself out over one article. You can either spend a week monotonously churning out 5,000 words, or you can write 5 high quality 1,000 word articles.
Your Readers Will Appreciate Your Sacrifice
“Kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart.” — Stephen King
I love Medium because the articles present the essence of self help books in a condensed form. Maybe it’s just my low attention span, but seeing a 20-minute article can put me off from the start. Unless it’s an extremely well-researched piece, how much is there really to say about why 5 am is the best (or worst, depending on your POV) time to wake up?
For those looking to make money on Medium, the read time matters. Wouldn’t you rather your audience reads 3 engrossing 5 minute articles from start to finish rather than skims half of 1 15 minute article?
You Have Control
Of course, it would be ironic if I told you to only focus on writing shorter articles in an article about forgetting about word count. After all, this isn’t college where the professor assigns a strict word limit to meet for each paper.
You have the power to judge how many words your work needs, but judge wisely. Squeeze value into every word, and your readers will thank you.
