How much should I write?

“What is that word?” I keep asking myself for the millionth time already. This is one of those days where words, phrases and sentences don’t come naturally. My brain doesn’t want to cooperate with me!

It’s odd when you have lots of ideas but you can’t put it in words. I was very close to biting my fingers till I saw my friend, Norman who was online. Norman, who has been writing for years, knows how to turn a simple sentence into a funny subject or serious matter. With more than 8 years of writing experience in local magazines and travel website, Norman gave a tip or two on how to write better.

“Where do you get your ideas and inspirations from when it comes to writing?” This is one of my “favourite” questions to ask other writers.

“From the bathroom” he said jokingly. “When I am calm and listening to music, that’s when the inspiration comes by”.

“Is there such thing as dos and don’ts in writing? How long is too long? What sort of input do you need to make the whole article interesting? I asked curiously while munching on my cupcake.

“If it’s a blog, it has to be what you think people want to read. If you have a lot of text, people might get bored. If it’s too short, people will think you’re a lazy writer. Mix text with photos, skip all the fancy sentences and get straight to the point. You write what you want people to read but if you want to write what you want to read, that’s not right.”

I nod as if Norman could see me. “How long is long for online articles?”

“When you have to scroll down the article right till the end; if possible, make it four to five paragraphs then you’re done. If it’s too long, no one wants to read it, keep it simple.”

Suddenly, my brain was flowing with words I could use in my writing. I ended our conversation to go for lunch but decided to stay in and continue writing.

Norman Ismail is currently attached with a local Malaysian magazine, Mangga as a web content developer cum webmaster and has his plate full with words and photos.