(165 words, 38-second read)
This, of course, is a line from one of the greatest movies ever, Gladiator.
Backstory: In case you haven’t seen it [spoiler alert], Maximus, played by Russell Crowe, takes out six other gladiators in about 30 seconds. He throws his sword into the box seats, and yells to the crowd:
- Are you not entertained? Are you NOT entertained? Is that not why you are here?
Yes, but: Writing – even business writing – is entertaining too. At least, that’s the goal. But it’s not wasting six gladiators in 30 seconds entertaining.
Yes, and: Sure. One definition of entertain is to provide amusement and joy. And another definition is:
- To give attention or consideration (to an idea).
Bottom line: You don’t have to surprise your reader when delivering a message. You don’t have to make them laugh. You don’t have to make them cry.
Give your reader the main point as clearly, concisely, and quickly as possible, and they’ll consider your idea. They’ll be entertained.
Fun fact: The first draft of this post was 153 words.