Writing: The Quantity vs Quality Debate

The struggle between perfect or consistent writing.

The age-old debate of what to pick between quality and quantity has remained a burning issue for years and it continues to be one.

When writing, do you sometimes struggle to make a decision on whether to churn out several consecutive pieces or to simply retreat to collate your next singular piece before releasing it?

This is a reality which most writers face.

Sometimes, it’s hard to decide if one lengthy story is better than 10 noticeably short stories.

The Case for Quality

There are writers who won’t publish anything until they are sure that it is up to standard and qualitative enough to be read. This is because for them, writing is systematic and involves gradually unraveling layers of complexities.

For this class of writers, the argument is that writing should be as impactful , structured and flawless as possible. Here, accuracy, organization and comprehension are details that shouldn’t be ignored, even if there is a desire to frequently write.

The truth is, it is very tempting to focus on perfection if you want flawless work. You can’t avoid the need to constantly cross-check your work if you are a very careful writer.

Brigitte Kirady an author and blogger, belongs to this group and according to her, good quality is the real deal; it is that secret sauce which will have agents and publishers calling you back for more!

In Brigitte’s words:

“Don’t forget Quality. Stop feeling like you have something to prove by rushing through your work. Nurture that story of yours. Give it all the time it needs — however long it takes — to truly meet your vision, expectation and standards, because at the end of the day, that’s what really matters.”

Indeed, there is no denying that good quality is important and so powerful that it elevates your work to a whole new level.

This is what sets your work apart from the rest; that exceptional touch.

The Case for Quantity

For this group of writers, consistency and frequency are crucial aspects of writing. Perfection may not be a determining factor, but rather, how many pieces can be written overtime.

In understanding the issue of quantity better, Julia McCoy of Express writers says, “don’t think of it as quantity -think of it as consistency.”

She further adds:

“If you want to see success from your content, you must have regularity. Successful content is not a shot in the dark. It’s content produced on a consistent schedule.”

Truthfully, volume has its numerous advantages.

More content would mean more recognition. It could also pave the way for more opportunities to drive social engagement.

Can There Be a Balance Between Quality and Quantity?

The question of picking quality over quantity or otherwise is tricky because sometimes, you don’t want to write too little or too much.

However, it’s possible to have the best of both worlds. Being able to balance both quantity and quality should be the ultimate goal. They are two peas in a pod and where one is lacking, it may affect the prevalence of the other.

Justin Belmont opines on Marketing Insider Group that:

“Quantity and quality are both important, so it is always difficult to pick one over the other. As others have said, however, creating quantity goals is very important. In order to be successful, you have to make readers keep coming back, and that can only happen if you keep producing content. Having a schedule of when to post ensures that you stay relevant and also forces you to sit down and write...”

For qualitative writing, a focus on quality content gains you increased readership and loyalty from readers who will trust your content. That way, when your name pops up, your readers know that your work is well prepared and not just fluff.

Here’s what you can do:

Should you find yourself musing over a preferred choice between quality and quantity, here are some guidelines to follow:

1. Have a list of selected topics

You do not have to wait till it’s time to write before thinking of what to write.

It helps if you already have a list of selected topics from which you can simply choose. This may not work for some writers who are very spontaneous and don’t necessarily want to stick to a list, but it helps.

Random reading and brainstorming are good tactics to adopt because while doing this, you may come across topics that are of interest to you. When you do, take note of them and think of how you can also contribute relevant ideas.

2. Do your research properly before you start writing

It’s very important to have a good article that people can easily read through and understand, than one which is long and so confusing.

It may be lengthy, but once your readers start losing the plot and can’t go with the flow of your writing, then you have probably missed the point.

The truth is, anyone will pick a logical, sequential, well-thought piece over mumbled, jam-packed writing. While your writing shouldn’t be so short to a point where it is totally bereft of ideas, it also shouldn’t be the exact opposite of this.

A suggestion is to find a balance that works, as long as your points are articulate and lucid enough for proper comprehension.

3. Know what your audience wants

Depending on the audience, both quality and quantity are subjective terms.

You could spend hours writing and trying to produce a really good story for your readers, only to see that it doesn’t attract the kind of interest you’d hoped for. Whereas, other writers who are not so bothered about quality or quantity are busy writing article per article and moving on as fast as they can.

While you are stuck with your thoughts and idea of a perfect piece, they are getting more visibility!

At the end of the day, what matters is that your audience understands you and should know what to expect from you.

Whether you decide to get involved in longer form writing or shorter posts, communication is fundamental.

Focus on Quality and Quantity

If you regularly struggle with the choice between quality content vs quantity content, the first step is to gather as many resources as possible so you can focus on creating quality content.

Then, let your quantity keep building consistently.

As Tobias Foster a writer and journalist on createwritenow says:

“Being able to determine where quality and quantity converge is pivotal to ensuring the book meets the requirements and keeps the reader locked in for the entire journey. Page-turners are not just about lots of words, but the way in which the words come together to create a story. This requires both strategy and creativity from the writer.”