Notes, words & ideas to make society better
Social Philosopher β€’ Writer β€’ Ideologist
Practical Essayist β€’ Lawgiver β€’ Letterist

Write In Bullet Lists

I wonder if we should use bullet lists for all or most of our writing, and particularly to make concise, argumentative list essays that present a single plan, idea, practice, or habit with points describing the action or steps the author suggests.

Names

  • List Essay or Bullet Essay
  • Brief or Bullet

What

  • Can a bullet list of points be an essay?
  • Should we write more ideas, plans, and habits as argumentative essays in bullet list form?
  • We could officially call this simplified, brief style of writing a "List Essay" or "Bullet Essay"
  • Argumentative essays with a single idea or plan would work particularly well as a list essay
  • Any idea, plan, practice, habit, policy, strategy, rule, ideology could work well as a list essay
  • Any and all types of writing may be simplified better and read easier as bullet lists too

Why

  • Many books, essays, texts, and literary works are way too long
  • We need to focus on brevity and simplifying our information and important actions
  • Maybe we should shorten our ideas and other information and just get to the point
  • It is easier and quicker to skim a list of lines and points than long paragraphs or essays
  • An idea should often focus on what and why changes are to be made more so than how
  • A bulleted list encourages the author to describe their idea or information much simpler

How

  • Use bulleted lists instead of paragraphs, hopefully which will fit on a single line
  • Shorter sentences might be preferred, but sentences of any length would work
  • Possibly make groups of 6 points or less separated with headings for further simplicity
  • Create a What section with a simple description of your idea, plan, action, or habit
  • Often create a Why section to outline the reasons for the idea or explain your argument
  • Optionally create How, Steps, or Rules sections to further detail your plan, idea, or action

April 3, 2025