Your Stories Really Don’t Matter
The world is too much in a hurry for you
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The internet is basically the repository of all human knowledge. Everyone who uses it is searching for an answer, and usually quickly. It is a tool. One that is used, put back down, then back up again as needed.
Almost everyone I encounter when Googling something, ultimately comes across a blog, then says something along the lines “I don’t need your whole life story, I just need an answer”.
Sound familiar?
I know, I do it too. The days of long blog threads are fading. Some people out there still want to know why the name of their ex boyfriend’s cat led them to discover grandmas’ secret oatmeal raisin cookie recipe in the back of the abandoned church up the street. Interesting as I’m sure it is, most of us don’t.
We just want answers, we would be satisfied with a listicle or a simple picture with an arrow. I know it sounds cold hearted, but it’s the way things are going.
The world of knowledge seeking has no time for investment. The modern person wants what they want, when they want it (or sooner).
Write for the new audience
Instead of telling people how the sausage is made, just give them the sausage. If you think that the story of how/why really matters, leave a link to that story in your short form answer. Then track it’s performance.
You’ll realize how quickly most of what you write has no real value to the reader. Almost everyone skims looking for the meat.
Recently, I have taken to writing short form as much as possible. I know that my readers (all of which I am eternally grateful to have) have more important things that require their attention. Trying to keep them tied up with a long winded story is unfair.
We now have to write for this new audience. Short form and listicles are the way of the future. You can still write the long associated stories if they are critical to the answers people want, but put them to the side with links sprinkled throughout to get the reader there easily.
Keep typing. All the best.
As always friends, I welcome an open discussion on any of my articles. If you leave me a message in the comments, I’ll do my best to respond in a timely manner.
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