Word Count Maximum Raised To 5000 Words
Earlier today, we raised the maximum word count accepted from 3,500 words to 5,000 words. The minimum is still 250 words. (Updated 3/1/2011 – The minimum is now 400 words.)
For the past 30 days, here are the percentages of a few word count ranges:
250-299 words: 10.2%
300-349 words: 10.7%
350-499 words: 34.2%
500-749 words: 30.9%
750-999 words: 7.6%
1000+ words: 6.4%
We’re glad to see that the majority are 350-749 words (400-750 was my previous guidance) and will be starting educational campaigns soon to encourage a 500 word count floor for several reasons…mostly relating to article quality and depth expectations from our readership. It takes an exceptional writer to craft a high quality article under 350 words.
Hi Chris!
I’m trying to follow your advice and write shorter articles because the readers prefer to read few and wise words then to spend an hour reading an article.
I don’t think that articles with more than 1200 words can have any success. Perhaps for some writers the possibility to write longer articles is very good because they can show better their work, but I don’t think they’ll be followed by many readers!
Sometimes when I write articles providing psychotherapy I think I have to write as much as possible because people need it. However I’m trying to be brief even in these articles because the readers don’t have time to read too long articles and because it’s only a matter of predisposition. If we decide from the beginning that we are not going to exceed certain number of words, we simply stop developing the subject in certain point.
I even sent today to the ezine an article about happiness with 350 words and another one about depression with exactly 500 words!
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