Working within those forms is part of managing reader expectations, which is a key component of making a story appeal to a given reader, but the expectations we have around form and length of stories are not derived from some optimization method synchronized with humanity’s ability to interact with literature.
Intentionality in Storytelling
With only a handful of lines, and a few words in each line, each one of them must bear a larger load for the poem. Everything must be intentional.
Beyond Word Count
I find word count provides helpful insights into my writing habits and the structure of my stories. On shorter time scales, though, it doesn’t always reflect the amount of writing work I might be doing.
Lengths and Forms
I've noticed something about my writing recently, a struggle that I've been having but have not fully acknowledged. The problem is this: I'm too focused on the form of the words on the page.
Brevity and Music
Specifically, I enjoy music that tells a story. Whether that's a story spun of my imagination through classical music, or a more explicit telling through words, music that tells some kind of tale is fascinating to me. Songwriters can fit entire sagas into a few verses and a refrain, capturing character, plot, setting, conflicts and resolutions, all without the advantages I have as an author: namely, thousands and thousands of words, as well as grammar and punctuation.
IGC Publishing 