08-07-2011, 03:24 AM
What would you consider to be a long post? That's really the point of this discussion. I'm sure there are readers who would prefer 300-450 words per post, whereas others can read a good 2000 words before feeling it is too long. As a roleplaying site that focuses on improving writers, long posts kind of come with the territory. Otherwise, we might as well be going to Gaia Online.
Myself? I don't think it's the length of the post that makes it "too long". Rather, it's the quality of the writing. There's a point where too much detail can ruin the scene, just as there's a point where too little will prevent the reader from envisioning what is going on. And for each person the middle ground is different. Both as a writer and a reader. For example, I could read the entire LoTR saga without wanting to put the book down. Give me a biography and I'll wish it were a summary. Other people may be the other way around.
TL;DR: There's not really any precisely perfect post length. Everyone reads and writes differently. However, if an upper limit were established by the staff, I'm sure that people would be able to adhere to it, and it may make their jobs a lot easier.
Myself? I don't think it's the length of the post that makes it "too long". Rather, it's the quality of the writing. There's a point where too much detail can ruin the scene, just as there's a point where too little will prevent the reader from envisioning what is going on. And for each person the middle ground is different. Both as a writer and a reader. For example, I could read the entire LoTR saga without wanting to put the book down. Give me a biography and I'll wish it were a summary. Other people may be the other way around.
TL;DR: There's not really any precisely perfect post length. Everyone reads and writes differently. However, if an upper limit were established by the staff, I'm sure that people would be able to adhere to it, and it may make their jobs a lot easier.