Finding TLDR at the beginning of a blog post, gave me a cause to pause. Why was TLDR at the beginning of an article or in the text at all?
SO WHAT IS TLDR?
TLDR means too long; didn’t read
Anti-Shakespearian-Readers are known to use TLDR to label boring long-winded prose, that they never read in its entirety but are gracious enough to tap out TLDR in the comments before leaving.
But to have TLDR at the beginning of a post?!?
By the author of that post…
Would you want to read it?
IS USING TLDR RUDE?
To totally misquote Shakespeare’s Hamlet: “to TLDR, or not, that is the question!?”
And so, we dove into the etiquettes of such a question where The Business Insider labels TLDR as being rude ‘… and should be avoided at all costs in a business setting.’
Come on, most corporatey stuff is filled with words that make your eyes glaze over, to release a repressed memory of some high school maths teacher’s droning voice lulling us into upright comas.
CAN YOU USE TLDR AS A WARNING FOR READERS?
Using TLDR at the beginning of a blog post could be a clever warning for readers to say:
TLDR: Don’t read this if you have to race out the door!
Or TLDR: unless you have time to scroll while on the loo instead of tweeting!
And could TLDR be great to use during those divorce settlement negotiations.
SO WHEN DID WORDS BECOME TL?
Acronyms, initialism, and abbreviations came from the government (military) where they cut down their super-long departmental names and forms that are used today:
ASAP = as soon as possible
Bolo = be on the lookout
SWAT= Sexy wannakeeponspeeddial adonis team! Okay, we all know it’s those buff-cops known as special weapons and tactical unit.
Then there’s CIA, FBI, MIA, ADHD, UFO, AA, AFL, KFC, NFL, NBA, NYC…
There are so many more out there that they’ll make your eyes roll to the sweet tune of NFI = no freaking idea.
THE ACRONYMS, INITIALISM, AND ABBREVIATION CLASSICS
Texting boosted the need for shortening words, where now they have some old-school acronyms, initialism, and abbreviations that I’m sure you’ll know (while I feel so old sharing this):
LOL = laugh out loud
TTYL = talk to you later
ROTFL = rolling on the floor laughing
YOLO = you only live once
LMK = let me know
K = Ok = Okay!
And STFU = do I really need to explain this one to the ranting unicorn kicking over those orange road cones along the highway in a fresh case of road rogue?
As an FYI – OMG was used as early as 1917 in a letter to Winston Churchill. – So says the Mirriam-Webster dictionary.
You all need to stop with the acronyms. Think of the elderly folk like me
— Antony (@AntWritesStuff) June 16, 2022
18+ ACRONYMS, INITIALISM AND ABBREVIATIONS FOR WRITERS:
For fun, or as an alternative anti-aging thingy, here’s a list of acronyms, initialisms, and abbreviations found in the list of common acronyms that could be used by authors:
AFK = Away From Keyboard
FOMO = fear of missing out – we ALL HAVE SUFFERED from this. So, C’mere and let’s hug it out.
BTW = by the waaaaay….
MMB = Monday Mojito Breath – don’t judge.
IRL = in real life
Rom-Com = romantic comedy
Dramedy = dramatic comedy (I’m seeing a pattern here)
SCI-Fi= science fiction
BC = Before coffee
Fanfic = fan fiction
PPV= pay per view
CRAFT = Can’t Remember A Friggin’ Thing. (To which I shared the meaning in our monthly email. You in?)
AKA = also known as…
TBA = to be announced
BOOK = brainy object of knowledge – created by geniuses. Yes, I’m talking about you.
DIET = did I eat today
DTC = direct to customers
STRESS = stuff to remember every single second
ABC = always be clever
ARE ACRONYMS, INITIALISMS AND ABBREVIATIONS USEFUL FOR YOUR BOOKS?
Acronyms, initialisms and abbreviations are designed to make things quicker. Yet, many of them (okay, let’s say MOST OF ‘EM) make us pause as the brain clunks into gear to try and interpret that short grouping of random letters, when it could’ve been understood in an instant when spoken in full.
So, are acronyms, initialisms and abbreviations useful for your books?
If someone is going to read it in fifty trillion years’ time, will they understand TLDR? Or will it all be said in emojis?
What about that grandmother’s brandy and book club, are they going to understand TLDR?
Or that hipster, rolling their eyes, that says old people should never-ever use that term. Like ever. K.
I guess it all comes down to you, your readers, and your type of Author Brand.
