A favorite blogger of mine recently explained why she no longer updates her blog regularly: “I’ve run out of things to say that I can’t say in 140 characters or fewer.”
I feel the same way.
It’s like my brain now functions only in short bursts.
Anything long-form (more than three sentences) seems extraneous.
I mean, why write a whole blog post when I can complain about a horrible salad in a quick, simple tweet?
And that tweet could be heard, potentially, by the offending restaurant that served said horrible salad?
I mean, really, soggy cucumbers are not OK.
And a wedge of iceberg lettuce should be fresh, crisp and cool when served. Not warm, deflated and mushy.
Here’s the thing that’s relieving about Twitter: it’s immediate.
I have an idea. I don’t have to come up with a narrative, a story arc, a time peg or a reason to share it.
It can be an observation, or a fleeting thought, a tiny piece of commentary, a mini-review. No pressure to make it more than it is.
The important thing (to me, if no one else) is that it’s published. Somewhere. Even if I never revisit it again, it’s out there.
The ideas that don’t get out there—the phantom blog posts I write daily in my head—those disappear.
Yes, I wish I had time to write more. 140 words. Someday, 140 pages. For now? I will blog when I can and tweet in between.
Oh, one last thing—mixing mayonnaise, ketchup and sun-dried tomatoes will not make a good salad dressing.
- Are you on Twitter? Follow me at twitter.com/mydogischelsea.
4 responses so far ↓
1 TimsHead // Apr 8, 2010 at 1:49 am
I think this is one thing people don’t understand about Twitter, as so many make stupid, uninformed remarks about it. I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to writing blog posts, so they take a while. Twitter is simple, direct, quick. And as Strunk & White say: Omit needless words. Which you have to do with 140 characters.
2 Anita // Apr 8, 2010 at 3:56 pm
You hit the nail on the head here! I also find that a well composed tweet is very, very satisfying. Twitter is full of wonderful posts that express so much in so few words. If you need more words - that’s what links are for. Still, I want to get back to blogging more than I have been. It helps me think.
3 michael5000 // Apr 9, 2010 at 9:24 pm
While I read this, I was thinking “how could you say anything of substance in just 140 words?” Then I noticed my mistake.
I guess this counts as a stupid, uninformed remar
4 Boo // Apr 11, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Your link to thinlizzy17 goes to the wrong place. It’s the 17. I have forgotten it too when linking to the xanga. Here is that address: http://thinlizzy17.xanga.com/
I prefer Twitter to FB for keeping up with people. No disturbing TOS or ads or information skimming from the ridiculous apps. People actually think that the onus is on the person who does NOT participate in things like Farmville to block the applications. Where else in life is it okay to spam your friends and family relentlessly and then blame them when they complain about it?
With Twitter it is like a huge dinner table at which I can sit next to whomever I want for a bit. I can jump into conversations or wish someone well in a moment that they are unlikely to blog about. I talk to those people daily and know what is going on with them and they with me.
Blogs are still great but my screen sea sickness tends to overwhelm me after reading just a few posts.
I have to look you up there. And I must get to reading more about what is up with you here.