In writing an essay, tight word count is most often the author’s friend. While you need to use (Alton Sterling) enough words to convey your (Rumain Brisbon) meaning completely, too many (Tamir Rice) words and you risk losing the reader’s attention. Akai Gurley. The rise of the longform essay, that novella-to-self, has not Kajieme Powell been a particular boon to Ezell Ford new writers. Instead of fleshing out a thought with Dante Parker more information, the longform John Crawford essay has become bloated, padded with Tyree Woodson the writer’s ego, stuffed with paid-by-phrase Eric Garner wordcount.
On the other hand, sometimes as Michael Brown a writer it is Victor White necessary (it became necessary Sandra Bland to destroy Yvette Smith the town to save it) to add McKenzie Cochran a heaviness Jordan Baker to one’s Andy Lopez words. To Miriam Carey weigh the reader Jonathan Ferrell down Carlos Alcis with the Larry Eugene Jackson weight Deion Fludd of what Kimani Gray they Malissa Williams are Timothy Russell reading, Reynaldo Cuevas have been Chavis Carter reading, Shantel Davis are Tamon Robinson still Ervin Jefferson reading. Kendrec McDade. Rekia Boyd. Shereese Francis.
Wendell Allen. Nehemiah Dillard. Dante Price. Sgt. Manuel Loggins, Jr. Ramarley Graham. Sometimes you Kenneth Chamberlain need weight. Alonzo Ashley. Raheim Brown. Sometimes Danroy Henry weight is all Aiyana Jones you have. Steven Eugene Washington. Aaron Campbell. Sometimes Kiwane Carrington words Victor Steen don’t Shem Walker weigh enough. Tarika Wilson. DeAunta Terrel Farrow. Sean Bell.
Henry Glover. Ronald Madison. James Brisette. Timothy Stansbury. Alberta Spruill. Ousmane Zongo. Orlando Barlow. Timothy Thomas. Prince Jones. Amadou Diallo. Jesus Huerta. Noel Polanco. Anthony Nunez. Keith Childress. Bettie Jones. Kevin Matthews. Leroy Browning. Roy Nelson. Miguel Espinal. Nathaniel Pickett. Cornelius Brown. Chandra Weaver. I can’t breathe. Jamar Clark. Richard Perkins. Michael Lee Marshall. Alonzo Smith. Yvens Selde. Anthony Ashford. Lamontez Jones. Paterson Brown. Junior Prosper. Keith McLeod. India Kager. Tyree Crawford. Felix Kumi. Asshams Manley. Christian Taylor. Brian Day. Michael Sabbie. Billy Ray Davis. Samuel Dubose. Darrius Stewart. Albert Davis. Salvado Ellswood. Jonathan Sanders. Spencer McCain. Jermaine Benjamin. Nuwnah Laroche. Bryan Overstreet. William Chapman. Samuel Harrell. Freddie Gray. Frank Shephard. Walter Scott. Eric Harris. Fuck your breath. Phillip White. Brandon Jones. Bernard Moore. Naeschylus Vinzant. Deontre Dorsey. Calvon Reid.
The sheer weight of words can eventually come to feel oppressive to the reader. Readers of long essays often complain “why are you still telling me this?”
Matthew Ajibade. Tommy Yancy. Jerame Reid. Zikarious Flint. Jason Harrison. Gregory Lewis Towns. Ernest Satterwhite. Howard Wallace Bowe. Kaldrick Donald. Robert Baltimore. David Andre Scott. David Yearby. Latandra Ellington. Willie Harden. Rumain Brisbon. Matthew Walker. Stephen Isby. Dontre Hamilton.
I’m still telling you this because it’s still happening.
450 words. And counting.
[Editor’s note: Philando Castile. 452 words.]
CrossKnit 
My God. How powerful and clever.
Thank you. It was kind of a big experiment, structurally, but I wanted to see if I could integrate the struggle to read the piece with, well, the struggle to read it.
I loved it. I had to read it twice to make sure I didn’t miss anything. And how incredibly sad at the same time.
Hello friends I am just a starter
Danie @ i agree with you,
Your experiment really worked for me. Powerful was also the word that came to my mind. And though I’m sure it was just a sad coincidence that you had to add another name, in its own way, that put on the exclamation point.
I couldn’t believe it. And yet I could. that I literally couldn’t get this post through from inception to the vote without having to add more names.
Blown away is probably a poor choice of phrase, this is a masterpiece.
High praise; thank you so much.
So many layers of metaphor and emotion here. Brilliant.
Wooooowewee! I’m blown away at this experiment. I’m pretty much speechless. Lol
Oh My God! I have no words to say how powerful this was. Sharing this.
Thank you. And congrats again on your post getting picked up!
Thanks for doing this. It’s perfect. I only wish it didn’t need doing.
Me too. Or three. or five.
Well written
I must have missed something (a lot actually); perhaps the names were relevant but I’m far from being up on the world of authors.
Anyway, I agree with the title. I wish book authors had a max word count they had to stick to. Often I’ve heard an author on a PBS show, found it interesting and then looked at the book they were invariably pushing. I would say 75% of the books could be cut in half while becoming more interesting and losing no meaning.
All the best
I’m a little astonished that you could write this post [https://robalex.wordpress.com/2016/07/11/how-perspective-distorts-what-we-see/] and not recognize literally any of the names here. I was going to give you a pass for maybe not being American or watching the news ever, but nope.
Didn’t say I didn’t recognize any of the names. But had i known more, I might have been able to see and appreciate if she used the names in context.
Hi. Actually that is what you said. Now, there’s a funny thing about the Internet, and that’s if you don’t know something you’re literally sitting in front of hundreds of dictionaries and research tools at any given time. Make use of them before you make noise.
Also, if you read more of the site than, say, the titles of the pieces, you’d realize that I’m the author. I also moderate comments and I’m not obligated to provide you a forum in which to make a damn fool of yourself, so I’m going to go ahead and block your comments from here on in.
I wouldn’t block someone who admits to ignorance. Just sayin’!
He got two bites at the apple. He came into my house making a whole lot of noise with zero care who he was talking TO or ABOUT. That’s not just uninformed, its wilful, and I’m not obligated to help him show his whole ass. See, it’s not just about my interactions with him. It’s about who else is invited to this forum and how welcome or unwelcome his remarks make them feel.
I guess what I’m saying is, it was only a matter of time, and I gotta go camping this weekend instead of waiting around for him to say something more overtly racist than this so you could feel better about me having rules in my house.
First rule: Take care of yourself, else you shall perish.
It’s nice to read. OMG!!
I think word count depends on other factors as well. As a blogger with a lot to say, my word count is always pretty long. And the people who follow and read my blog are happy and entertained with my many words. I like a long and detailed read far better than one that is void of description and details. There is always something for everyone…..
Snip, snip!
It was an arduous count but at the same time you need to have this power to stimulate your passion for writing.Great effort.
That is tight! 👍✊👌💚🙌❤. Amazing piece.
What a strong piece!
Nice
Reblogged this on KathyPowers1 and commented:
Brevity takes time. Use words with depth!
Love this, so powerful!
This is so powerful, I even got a little emotional. Great work
Thank you.
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Well written!! 🙂
This was both poignant and powerful. Amazing.
Haha! Loved it!
👍👍👍 excellent, powerful piece.. had to share
Thank you so much.
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all the best
Very creative. Good work
Wow this was insane. Powerful stuff.
I’m a lazy blogger… This is inspiring though…
I felt a tightness in my chest reading this. Thank you. Thank you for writing this.
Reblogged this on Kyanna Kitt.
I love it quite a masterpiece of art there…well am a starter friends
Hi
Brilliant. Thank you.