Brief writings, whether articles, essays, poems, meditations or stories, can be not only significant but express enough. And in the common vernacular, "enough said."

Very often writings that express too much say too little. They may contain superfluous information that include the author's autobiographical tag and impertinent material aimed at achieving lengthy word or page count.

Just as a legal brief - trial brief, Appellate brief or case brief - is sufficient to present to the court for arguing why the party to the case should prevail, a brief writing can be, and often it is, sufficient for the writer to present a particular work to a reader. This is not to imply that there is not a place for longer writings. But the number of longer writings could be decreased significantly if there was a reduction of the erroneous material many of them contain.

I first became aware of the effectiveness of brief writings more than a half century ago while reading Norman Vincent Peale's "Mind Power Ideas," (later called "Creative Ideas") miniature monthly magazine. From mid-1975 to mid-l995 while residing in Los Angeles I published the monthly "Full Life" magazine. In each issue I wrote a mind power idea that never exceeded 200 words. Later I wrote  a book, "The Saint Troubadour: Speaking and Singing Truth and Love" that contains 278 meditations, poems, essays articles and lyrical compositions. Many of them are less than 200 words. Some people have told me that these brief writings have helped them in self-discovery and enhanced their lives. They have added their appreciation for the brevity of my writings.

Brief writings do not have to, indeed must not, be sound bites. Sound bites usually articulate ideas taken out of context that distort or misreprsent original ideas with counter ideas. This is especially true in the political arena. For writers of brief writings, not sound bites, this is "enough said." They, nevertheless, honestly and lovingly express their opposition to things and people when addressing destructiveness and negativism that need to be replaced with healthy and positive thoughts and humane behavior.

After listening to Sir Winston Churchill deliver a powerful speech, as he was known for, a man said to him "We would be honored to have you address our convention. Churchill wanted to know how long he woud be asked to speak. The man replied, "We have not made out our program." Whereupon, Churchill said, "If you want me to speak thirty minutes give me a three month notice. If you want me to speak three hours, I can speak tomorrow or early next week." This principle articulated by Churchill is applicable for writers of brief writings who are also rewriters no less than they are writers. Write it briefly. "Enough said." Without superfluous or saber rattling-like chatter many, if not most ideas, stories, poems and so on, can be presented in brief writings. Currently Facebook and Twitter provide an opportunity and challenge for people to write brief messages about things they previously expressed in lengthier writings with less clarity.

It takes time to write. It takes more time, as Churchill's statement indicates, to do brief writings that are complete, have clarity, and convey the messages the writers desire their readers to receive. Brief writings often prove to be of greater interest to readers than longer ones. Readers are more likely to read entire brief writings rather than a portion of them as they would often do when reading longer writings. This is not unlike a brief encounter with another person that may have a greater impact on a person than a longer encounter. In my own reflection I recall brief encounters that were transformative. Some of them were even transcendent and catapulted me into a higher spiritual obit.

Brief writings must not be excuses for not doing the necessary research and failing to spend time listening to one's inner voice. Above all else which contains the above "Write in the Spirit."

When writing ponder this idea: "Brief writings: enough is enough."

Copyright 2011 by Uriah J. Fields