Would you prefer reading long or short hubs?

1. 74

   Susan Ngposted 15 years ago

   I was just wondering, if you were doing research, would you prefer reading long articles or short articles?  I tend to like short, to-the-point articles better.  When I open an article and it's really long, I tend to just skim over the beginning and end looking for a summary or recap. Or I look for another article.  What about you?

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      lawrettaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I hate to read long hubs i get bored no matter the topic. I love it short and precise. straight to the point.

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         mandybeauposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         I actually agree with darkside entirely, long or short, its the subject that decides length quite often, for example a Hub on an American city would possibly be longer than Aunty Aggies recipe for choc. Brownies. So Lawretta you are limiting yourself by just liking the short ones.

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   2. 0

      MangoGirlposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I prefer short a concise hubs, as my own hubs demonstrate.
      Well, I still read darkside's comments and I think some of his hubs (the ones I read) are pretty factual.

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         Susan Ngposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         As your own hubs demonstrate? What hubs have you written, MangoGirl?

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            MangoGirlposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            I write everything that's on my mind in my hubs. Go see for yourself.

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               Susan Ngposted 15 years agoin reply to this

               Dang, your avatar scared me there. Am I missing something? You don't have any hubs.

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2. 59

   darksideposted 15 years ago

   For me it depends on the topic. And how complicated that topic is.
   
   I don't like fluff though. It needs to be trimmed down. That doesn't mean it has to be short.
   
   I've read some articles that could have taken 100 words or less to explain the solution, instead the author thinks they're very clever by writing a 1,500 word essay.

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      BundleBoyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I agree 100% with Darkside.

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3. 60

   packerpackposted 15 years ago

   Well it depends, if the topic is of my interest then I may continue reading however, generally long contents do make me think whether I should go for it.

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4. 63

   Lisa HWposted 15 years ago

   If it's a serious subject I'd rather see something more comprehensive than a few quickie paragraphs that aren't much different from all the other quickie articles online.  On serious subjects, I want substance or nothing.  I'm not intimidated by lengthy pieces of reading.
   
   At the same time, I don't want to read 1200 words about how to bake Santa Claus cookies or someone's trip to the White Mountains.

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5. 76

   cashmereposted 15 years ago

   Some topics need details, others can be short and sweet. It all depends on what you are writing about, but mostly shorter hubs work better for me.
   I think even if the piece is lengthy, it needs to be broken up into sections so that you can skim what you really want to read about in the hub faster.

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6. 74

   Susan Ngposted 15 years ago

   I see...

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7. 68

   trish1048posted 15 years ago

   I fall somewhere in the middle.  Generally speaking, it depends on several things for me.  If it's something I am passionate about, it can be as long or short as the writer feels it needs to be.  It also depends on when I discover something I want to read, for instance, if I skim hubs on my lunch hour, I will bookmark it to come back to later.  It also depends on my frame of mind at the moment.  Sometimes I'm just not up to reading, so again, I will bookmark the hub so I can read it at my leisure.  As far as length, I've only come across one writer who writes extremely lengthy hubs.  I've attempted to read them but after a paragraph or two, I lose interest in continuing.  While I love reading as well as writing, I don't want to read a book online.  If something is that long, I feel it should be done in installments/chapters.  Just my opinion.

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8. 77

   Uninvited Writerposted 15 years ago

   Check out this thread
   
   http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/9819

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9. 58

   guidebabaposted 15 years ago

   To the Point Hubs with all informations covered in one sigle hub rather than multiple hubs on same topic.

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10. 62

    HealthCare Basicsposted 15 years ago

    I am fairly new to Hubpages and just learning how navigate around. I can read anything that interests me, but at times, if the article is too long, I then scan for the important aspects. I have been reading various hubs and only came across two articles that were extremely long, and by the end, had no clue about what was being said.

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11. 0

    \Brenda Scullyposted 15 years ago

    If something is too long, it puts me off even starting it, not too short but not too long either.....

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12. 60

    Zeta Sficoposted 15 years ago

    it's really subjective. long hub but complete is better than read multiple hubs with single topic.

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13. 48

    badcompany99posted 15 years ago

    Mostly short but if its a hub that is teaching me something and is interesting I will enjoy it no matter how long it is, no different from a good book

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14. 61

    dianacharlesposted 15 years ago

    There are some people here who write in such a  captivating manner that when one comes to the end of their hub...one wishes for more or for sequels.
    Then there are other hubs which are really short, but one wishes they had been even shorter

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15. 74

    Susan Ngposted 15 years ago

    You're all right. If the article can hold my interest, I can make it to the end even if it's long.

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       ripplemakerposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Me too!

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16. 60

    lisafwg01posted 15 years ago

    As long as the material is broken up (short paragraphs, pictures..etc) I don't mind long Hubs at all (as long as the information holds my interest).
    
    I don't like reading long paragraphs of text anywhere on the net..it just hurts my eyes.

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    1. 74

       Susan Ngposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Same here. I prefer shorter bite-sized paragraphs.

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17. 77

    JamaGeneeposted 15 years ago

    If a hub doesn't totally grab me by the end of the second paragraph, I'm gone.  *If* there's a second paragraph, that is. One endless paragraph with no breaks will make me click out even sooner.

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18. 86

    Elena.posted 15 years ago

    I've been "watching" over this thread a while... for me length needs to be sustained by gripping content (for me pgrundy is a great example of "gripping length").  Sometimes I'll print the long hubs, because I get tired of online reading.
    
    What Jama said about one long solo paragraph, that is a total turn off for me too.
    
    Then again, there is such a thing as TOO short a hub.  Sometimes I feel like, "come on! you didn't get tired with this, did you!"
    
    I don't know.  I guess it totally depends on the content and the style and the message.

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19. 77

    SweetiePieposted 15 years ago

    Really I do not measure these things.  I suppose I am just so busy with my own writings and reading the people I enjoy, so I do not have time to consider whether someone could have put more effort into a hub.  If they did not want to oh well, and the one thing about hubs is you can come back and edit at any time.  Some hubs can be revised a year later for all we know.

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       earnestshubposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Well said SweetiePie, I am one of the hubbers who see the need for improving my old hubs all the time, as well as the new ones as I get better at writing them.

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20. 60

    Frozencoveposted 15 years ago

    I prefer short articles.
    
    A long article could be posted in
    two or three parts or made into a series
    of articles.
    Think like the old serial televsions shows
    that blast you with intrigue of what is next
    (if you take the part or series route).
    
    I wouldn't break up a long article to fit it into
    parts or a series, if there aren't points that
    favor doing that.
    
    Photos and one or two sentence paragraphs can help the flow
    of a long article that needs to be long. Structure
    continuity between paragraphs carefully to give the reader
    a rest stop, transitions that help the reader feel refreshed,
    and eager to continue.

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21. 74

    AEvansposted 15 years ago

    I believe it depends on the topic at hand, sometimes I like to read short quick hubs other times I enjoy reading more lengthy hubs. I write long and short so it really doesn't matter much to me.

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22. 82

    Paper Moonposted 15 years ago

    I would never be afraid to read a long hub.  If it is too long, I would just bookmark it for later.  Mind you that does not mean that I will read a long bad hub.  But it is easier on older eyes ( like mine) to break it up into sections.

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23. 60

    Lisa Petrarcaposted 15 years ago

    I generally like straight to the point, shorter Hubs (busy schedule = little time) for this "Brady Bunch" mom.
    
    Sometimes I will read a longer Hub if the first couple of paragraphs grab my attention and suck me in.

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24. 62

    indian cookingposted 15 years ago

    Personally, I don't have the patience for reading long hubs. Up to 500 words is okay with me. I heard someone mention that Google prefers that way too..

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25. 60

    freelanceworldposted 15 years ago

    That depends totally on the topic of hub.
    For some, it has to be along one... esp when the topic is a vast one.
    For some,  add some extra lines...and reader wont even reach the comment capsule
    
    Further...its an art...some may even present a long hub into a captivating one...and we never know we read that all long...isn't it?

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26. 60

    Miss Pinkposted 15 years ago

    Generally, short and sweet. I think that's the way to go most of the time =  )

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27. 60

    Pete Maidaposted 15 years ago

    I can read long hubs if it is a good fiction story or a true story of family or personal life.  If the hub is a commercial for a product or a place; the shorter the better.

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    1. 82

       Paper Moonposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       This hits it!

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    2. 0

       MangoGirlposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       zero letters would suffice

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