- posted on
- September 3, 2007
- by Liz Danzico
Because Long Takes Too Long
Constraints are good. For anyone who’s taken a summer vacation, you know that having more free time doesn’t necessarily make things easier. It doesn’t make things more accomplishable. It doesn’t make you more efficient.
This summer, my cohort Khoi Vinh and I, have been happy to put more constraints on our free time by adding another project to our rosters. I’m proud to announce that A Brief Message, that very project, launched earlier tonight. The premise of the new site is simple—200 words about design. In fact, 200 words or less.
And that’s the whole story; it’s less.
We considered 150 words (too short) and 250 words (too long). We decided on 200 because the Brief Messages should be “somewhere between critiques and manifestos.”
Not only that, be readers are subject to the same guidelines. We are experimenting with limiting everyone to the same 200-word constraints. So comments, posts, even the About page, are in and around 200 words.
As Editor-in-Chief, what’s exciting about the editorial direction is that it’s intended to be news-y, as if you were reading a newspaper only about design opinion. A selection of pieces will be evergreen, but the tone will be for today and only today. It’s as if the Op-Ed page of your local newspaper (or the one you respect the most) only published topics on design. Design opinions every day. Who wouldn’t like that?
While we’re not publishing every day, we do publish weekly, and publish with a Brief Message and a corresponding illustration. While the content drives the topic, the illustration shares priority on the page, and Khoi art directs each one.
We’re experimenting with short form online, and we’re curious to see where it will take us. Does design criticism need to be shorter? Is 200 words enough? We’re not sure. But in the meantime, we look forward to hearing what you think.
Very nice! Love it when interesting people do side projects. Looking forward to (briefly) reading it!
I’m sure John Maeda will love this one!
I really like it. The ethos, the design, the actual content… it’s also nice to hear each article will be illustrated - that really does add interest to a regularly-published-to site. Nice one, guys!
Love at first sight! Well done, Khoi and Liz.
Suggestion: if you can, display the name and topic of the next installment. That’d generate some anticipation of what’s next and likely increase return visits. Especially if the next installment is the other side of a “debate,” such as someone disagreeing with Heller’s point of view.
I wish I could get all my news in 200 words or less. Especially science news, which gets awfully wordy.
Thanks everyone for the encouraging comments!
Lou: that’s a terrific idea. Unfortunately, it’s probably not feasible. We’re pushing our writers for Messages that are very current and events-based, and so sometimes we won’t know what the subject matter will be until a day or two before it publishes.
Right now, we’re working on a piece that, hopefully, will debut on Thu. It was only this morning that we knew what it would be about in the general sense and only this afternoon when we were confident the subject was locked down.
That may change though, who knows, as it may be impractical to continue at this pace while holding down day jobs too. If so, we’ll definitely implement that suggestion. Thanks!
Thanks everyone!
It’s been an interesting couple of days. Shortly after we launched, I got on a 15-hour plane ride, so it’s been a great pleasure to connect again to find such positive responses. Tomorrow’s issue that Khoi describes above is settled: We have a piece by Debbie Millman illustrated by Felix Sockwell. Looking forward to hearing more of your thoughts as the site unfolds!
A Brief Message is a brilliant idea! I especially love how print aesthetics have been applied to the website. I expect nothing but greatness.