This picture got more likes than the blogs I work so hard on. What’s up with that?
Imagine my surprise when my middle son looked at my website and exclaimed, “Mom! There are too many words!”
I paused and bit my lip. “I’m a writer, honey. I’m supposed to use words.”
Then I considered he might be right. I recall a photograph of a vase of flowers, blooms I’d picked on a walk on the little island of St. Croix where I live part time. It was a nice picture that got an overwhelming response, six-times more likes than most of my blog articles, which had me miffed. I spend time and brain power writing my weekly articles versus just a matter of seconds on my vase picture.
But it turns out the words vs. pictures debate is understandable. My AI friend explained that, “Pictures get more likes than words because the human brain processes visuals up to 60,000 times faster than text, making them instantly engaging, memorable, and emotionally stimulating. Visuals require less cognitive effort to interpret, allowing for immediate comprehension and faster emotional connection compared to the sequential processing of reading.”
For those of us who are still enamored with words, here’s something I learned during my years as a journalist. We need to be clear and concise in our storytelling. Any words that don’t move the story along or are even remotely repetitive should be deleted. A word like “that” for example. Read a sentence including that, then remove it. If it still makes sense, cut it. Other unnecessary words are really, actually, basically, totally, rather, somewhat, and quite, to name a few.
Then there are phrases that can be summed up in one word: Instead of “at this point”, say now. “Due to the fact” can be simply stated as because. “Has the ability to” means can. Use whether instead of “whether or not.” Also eliminate redundancies, meaning phrases that repeat the same idea: unexpected surprise, final outcome, each and every day, free gift.
And remember to read your work outloud numerous times. Note the places you stumble. Those are the spots that are too wordy or awkwardly phrased. Ruthlessly cut anything that feels unnecessary. Shorter sentences, limited to 25-30 words, are also advised. In the interest of clarity, consider breaking longer sentences into shorter ones.
The question of how many words a blog post should contain is hard to pin down. It depends on what you write about, which is why it’s hard to compare a scientific article on quantum physics to one expounding on the most popular shade of lipstick. I try to shoot for somewhere between 500 and 700 words. But again, it depends on what you’re writing about. (You’ll note my last line is repetitious. Sigh…)
The too-many-words conundrum has me wondering if sometime in the future humans might communicate through pictures alone. As a lover of words, I hope I don’t live long enough to find out.
THE CASTLE
ANNE MONTGOMERY
Suspense/Thriller
Ancient ruins. Haunted memories. A ruthless predator. Can Maggie survive the ghosts of her past – and the monster hiding in plain sight?
When she returns to her job as a National Park Ranger at “The Castle”—a Native American pueblo carved into an Arizona cliff—Maggie hopes the comfort of familiar ground will help her heal. Battling trauma and the grief of unimaginable loss, Maggie’s days are carefully measured, her life held together by the thinnest of threads.
But strange things are happening at the park. A mysterious child appears and vanishes without a trace. And a predator watches her every move, planning his attack.
With the help of friends, fellow survivors, and the land itself, Maggie begins to reclaim her strength. But the danger is closer than she knows, and soon Maggie will have to face a deadly threat… and her deepest fears.
Bookstores, libraries, and other booksellers can order copies directly from the Ingram Catalog.
Praise for The Castle
“A deftly written and riveting read from cover to cover, “The Castle” effectively showcases author Anne Montgomery’s genuine mastery of the Romantic Suspense genre.” – Midwest Book Review
“A slow burn thriller, mixed in with a touch of mystical realism…A true five-star experience!” – Sara Steven Chick Lit Central
“A beautifully considered, sumptuous novel from a skilled storyteller.” – SaraRose Auburn Writing & Reviews
“This is a novel about good rage, about channeling the injustices of the world around us and fighting to do some good with both words and deeds. Lucky for readers, it was penned by a maestra like Anne Montgomery, so that we got a tense, powerful novel in the bargain too.” – Jennifer deBie-Rosie Amber Book Reviews
“Ms. Montgomery manipulates uncomfortable subjects and dark suspense into a gripping tale with hints of romance and humor carefully guiding readers on an informative journey of survival and self-discovery.“ Tonya Mathenia InD’tale Magazine
“Soul-stirring. A brilliant book…Truly a masterpiece.” – Anu Menon Thought is Free Book Blog
“I was gripped from start to end.” – Katherine Hayward Pérez Just Katherine Blog
“Ms. Montgomery has an almost magical talent to draw the reader into the worlds she creates through her words. Her characters are interesting, vulnerable and strong. While describing the locations in which her books are set, she weaves history with vivid images, immersing the reader in a hard-to-put-down story full of history, beauty and mystery.” – Margaret Millmore Author
Author Anne Montgomery 
Great and concise article, Anne. Limiting words would be an editor’s dream, but then again, they wouldn’t have a job without our wordy prose. LOL! I’ll keep your wise advice tucked into my pocket for future posts and books. Cheers, my friend!
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Thank you, Sharon! Tips like these came in handy when my news editors used to hand me word counts. When they gave you 500 words, that’s exactly what they meant, not a word more or less. As for writing editors, I sense they may be some of the first to end up on the AI job heap. Sigh…
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