--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No one can say just how long a message…" description: "\"No one can say just how long a message should be, but you rarely hear complaints about a speech being too short. The amateur worries about what he is g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/edgar-dale-54119_communication_no-one-can-say-just-how-long-a-message-s_2432699.jpg" --- # No one can say just how long a message should be, but you… ![“No one can say just how long a message should be, but you rarely hear complaints about a speech being too short. The amateur worries about what he is going to put in his speech or article. The expert worries about what he should take out.” quote by Edgar Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/edgar-dale-54119_communication_no-one-can-say-just-how-long-a-message-s_2432699.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/edgar-dale-54119_communication_no-one-can-say-just-how-long-a-message-s_2432699.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/edgar-dale-54119_communication_no-one-can-say-just-how-long-a-message-s_2432699.jpg) > “No one can say just how long a message should be, but you rarely hear complaints about a speech being too short. The amateur worries about what he is going to put in his speech or article. The expert worries about what he should take out.” [Edgar Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-dale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective communication balances content depth with brevity; experts focus on removing excess, while novices fear omission. **In simple terms:** Good speech = right length, not too long or short. Key Takeaway Trim excess, keep core message. Themes communication brevity editing confidence expertise Mood thoughtful analytical Type advice instructional When to use this quote - public speaking - writing - presentations Key Concepts information overload audience engagement clarity Questions to Reflect On - What essential point might you risk cutting? - How do you decide what to omit? A Different Perspective Removing too much can lose nuance or essential context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amateur Worries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amateur-worries-300946/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Complaints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complaints/) [Complaints Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complaints-speech-300947/) [Expert Worries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expert-worries-300948/) [Experts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experts/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Message](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-message-300945/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) [Presentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presentation/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Speech Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech-short-300944/) [Too short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-short/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) ## Related quotes > [No-one can say just how long a message should be, but you rarely hear complaints about a speech being too short. The amateur worries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-dale/no-one-can-say-just-how-long-a-message-should-be-but-you-rarely-hear/) [Edgar Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-dale/) > [“Do you know how you can tell a professional writer from an amateur?" "No." "An amateur worries about the work before starting. A professional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi/do-you-know-how-you-can-tell-a-professional-writer-from-an-amateur-no/) [Avi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi/) > [“No audience ever complained about a presentation or speech being too short”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-keague/no-audience-ever-complained-about-a-presentation-or-speech-being-too/) [Stephen Keague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-keague/) > [No one ever complains about a speech being too short!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-hayes/no-one-ever-complains-about-a-speech-being-too-short/) [Ira Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-hayes/) > [Let thy speech be short, comprehending much in few words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/let-thy-speech-be-short-comprehending-much-in-few-words/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [History teaches us that many breakthroughs were happy accidents. Whether that's penicillin coming from Fleming neglecting to clean his laboratory before going on vacation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/history-teaches-us-that-many-breakthroughs-were-happy-accidents/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [Many of us get many messages in our lives, or think we get them. As long as the message is regarding our own selves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/many-of-us-get-many-messages-in-our-lives-or-think-we-get-them-as/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > ['Cause a musician, you can't tell me, "I've got this message I want share with the public," and it's three-and-a-half minutes long. That's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/cause-a-musician-you-can-t-tell-me-i-ve-got-this-message-i-want-share/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Spending a long time writing a really long message then accidentally pressing the back button.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/spending-a-long-time-writing-a-really-long-message-then-accidentally/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [Keep the customer actively involved throughout your presentation, and watch your results improve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/keep-the-customer-actively-involved-throughout-your-presentation-and/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [“He "had developed a trick in college for speaking with authority. He believed that breaking his argument into numbers forced people to pay attention.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-had-developed-a-trick-in-college-for-speaking-with-authority-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The very best financial presentation is one that's well thought out and anticipates any questions... answering them in advance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/the-very-best-financial-presentation-is-one-that-s-well-thought-out/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [“A great magician is not more magical than other magicians; he is just more magical in his presentation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/a-great-magician-is-not-more-magical-than-other-magicians-he-is-just/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Consistent style prevents presentation from getting in the way of content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/consistent-style-prevents-presentation-from-getting-in-the-way-of/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [When you really need help, people will respond. Sincerity means dropping the image facade and showing a willingness to be vulnerable. Tell it the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/when-you-really-need-help-people-will-respond-sincerity-means/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) ## More by Edgar Dale > [There was never a time in our history when ignorance of current affairs could be so dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-dale/there-was-never-a-time-in-our-history-when-ignorance-of-current/) [Edgar Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-dale/) > [There never was a time in our history when ignorance of current affairs could be so dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-dale/there-never-was-a-time-in-our-history-when-ignorance-of-current/) [Edgar Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-dale/) > [No-one can say just how long a message should be, but you rarely hear complaints about a speech being too short. The amateur worries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-dale/no-one-can-say-just-how-long-a-message-should-be-but-you-rarely-hear/) [Edgar Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-dale/) > [One of the curious things about censorship is that no one seems to want it for himself. We want censorship to protect someone else;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-dale/one-of-the-curious-things-about-censorship-is-that-no-one-seems-to/) [Edgar Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-dale/) > [One of the curious things about censorship is that no one seems to believe in it for himself. 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