Urban Fantasist
Menu
Picture
Follow @urbanfantasist
We're living in dangerously weird times... smart people just shrug and admit they're dazed and confused

Craft Talk: Keep it short - very, very short!

27/10/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
Here's a great cartoon by Tom Fisburne of Marketoonist commenting on the fact that in 2000, the attention span of the modern consumer was 12 seconds, whereas it is now 8 seconds. For the record, the average attention span of a goldfish is 9 seconds!

There is a serious side to this however because if your audience has the social equivalent of ADD (attention deficit disorder) then it also means anyone marketing to such an audience needs to consider using "snackable content."

In other words: breaking up the content into a series of bite-sized messages - which also explains why more and more organisations are turning to media such as Twitter, Vine (6 second videos) and infographics. You can read Tom's full article here 

http://tomfishburne.com/2014/10/attentionspan.html

Turning to the craft of writing, I've heard literary agents say they can evaluate a submitted manuscript from just the opening sentence, never mind the first chapter! Combine this with an increasingly ADD-prone audience and the need to make the opening lines of any story punchy, sharp and capable of immediately grabbing the reader's attention becomes paramount. By the same measure, any author (or poet) giving a public reading also needs to immediately engage with their audience if they are not to 'lose' them.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Weird Tales in Weird Times:
    powered by green tea & pink wine

    Here to inform and entertain you with tales of geek, folklore and the weird. "Fun and high strangeness" is how one reader described it. Prone to sarcasm.

    Curated by Reuters correspondent and barrister turned writer, podcaster, editor, award-winning tech journalist and sometime werewolf hunter Charles Christian. The site also has links to Charles Christian's books and latest reviews plus his Weird Tales Radio Show.

    Charles was born a 'Chime Child' with a caul – according to folklore, being a caul-shrouded chime-child means he can't drown at sea but he can see and talk to ghosts and the Fae (faerie folk) without fear of coming to harm. Superpowers he's so far never needed to use.

    Vital Statistics

    Weird Tales Radio Show now goes out on syndication across 36 FM & internet radio stations, as well as all major podcast platforms plus Spotify, Mixcloud, SoundCloud, TuneIn Radio, YouTube, RSS & Amazon Music.
    Picture
    Click the <Play> button below to hear the latest show. Follow this link Weird Tales Radio Show to access archive.
    Picture
    Tweets by urbanfantasist

    Contact Details

    Email: urbanfantasist@icloud.com
    ​Tel: +44(0)1986 788666
    Tel/Txt: +44(0)7786 738172

    ​Skype: ChristianUncut
    Twitter: @urbanfantasist

    Quote, Unquote

    "Charles Christian... a man of paranormality" ...Howard Hughes, Talk Radio UK

    "A great witty intelligence in the world. We need more CC and less monkey-brained politicians" ...Julia Bohanna

    "Just found the show, absolutely love it. Will be tuning in regularly and catching up."

    "I host a daily morning show in Las Vegas and I like your shows very much. I love the way you pace your voice and thoughts is fantastic and you have a way of making your guest interviews sound more like conversations. Just wanted to let you know" ...Clay Baker

    ​"The ever wonderful Charles Christian and his Weird Tales Radio Show"...Into The Portal Podcast 

    ​"The Master of Mysteries & Folklore" ...Fantasy Radio UK

    "The witty and knowledgeable Charles Christian." 

    ​"We poled our fans on their favorite podcasts and that's how I heard of Weird Tales Radio. You are well loved by the geekiverse, and fans of folklore history and monsters!"

    "Charles Christian is really out there cool."
    ​
    ​"Check out Urban Fantasist for more fun and strangeness."

    ​"Charles Christian defiantly makes my world a brighter, funnier place."

    "
    Wonderful show tonight full of all the usual delights we've come to expect."
    ​
    "The legendary Charles Christian at his eclectic best... his insight and humour alone make this a must-read blog."

    "Charles Christian is my inner spirit animal, thank you for making me laugh."

    ​"You always make me laugh! Thank you for brightening my day with your dark humour."

    ​"the funny, wonderful and slightly cantankerous Charles Christian"

    "Carlsberg don't make clients, but if they did... they'd be Charles Christian"

    "His tech journalism is always witty. He has a talent for pricking the overblown claims of suppliers."

    "Charles Christian does awesome!"
    Picture

    Charles Christian's Books

    Picture
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087N3NB7M
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B087N3NB7M
    Picture
    ​https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MELTC84
    Picture
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07DKCKPT

    RSS Feed


    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
Picture
Copyright © Charles Christian 
& WordsandVision Limited 2021
​Powered by green tea and pink wine
Tel: +44 (0)1986 788666
Tel/Txt: +44 (0)7786 738172
urbanfantasist@icloud.com
Contact Address: Oak Lodge, Darrow Green Road, Denton, Harleston, Norfolk IP20 0AY, United Kingdom

Weird Tales in Weird Times

  • Home
  • Weird Tales Shows
  • Charles Christian Bio
  • Interviews & Speaking
  • Charles Christian Books & Reviews
  • * Fiction
  • * Non Fiction
  • * Poetry
  • All My Links
  • Americana Shows
  • Old Grievous Angel
  • Home
  • Weird Tales Shows
  • Charles Christian Bio
  • Interviews & Speaking
  • Charles Christian Books & Reviews
  • * Fiction
  • * Non Fiction
  • * Poetry
  • All My Links
  • Americana Shows
  • Old Grievous Angel