Most advice about writing online focuses on what to add: more keywords, more structure, more optimisation, more output.
Over time, I’ve found the opposite to be more useful.
This post is not about technique. It’s about restraint — the decisions I consciously don’t make when I write for the internet, even when they might promise faster results.
I don’t write to fill space
If something doesn’t add clarity, it doesn’t belong.
I’m comfortable leaving a piece shorter than expected, or pausing before publishing, rather than padding it to meet an invisible quota. Space on the internet is unlimited; attention is not.
I don’t force keywords into sentences
Search matters. Discoverability matters.
But a sentence that reads awkwardly, especially grammatically, in order to satisfy a keyword rarely helps the reader or the writer — and it doesn’t age well.
When writing is clear and purposeful, keywords tend to find their place naturally. When they don’t, I let clarity win.
I don’t write for everyone
Trying to write for the widest possible audience usually results in writing that feels thin.
Instead, I write with a specific reader in mind: someone looking for understanding, not hype; guidance, not noise. If the piece serves that reader well, it tends to travel further than expected.
I don’t chase trends once they’re loud
By the time a topic becomes unavoidable online, it’s often already over-explained.
I prefer to write slightly before or slightly after the noise, when there’s still room to say something useful, or to say it more calmly than the prevailing tone.
I don’t publish just to stay visible
Visibility has its place. So does silence.
Some pieces need time to think through, to edit down, or simply to wait until they’re necessary. Publishing less often but with intention has served me better than keeping a rigid schedule for its own sake.
I don’t confuse activity with value
Writing that looks impressive at first glance — long, complex, densely optimised — isn’t always the writing that helps.
I’ve learned to ask a simpler question before publishing: Will this be useful to someone when they encounter it?
If the answer is unclear, the piece isn’t finished yet.
Why this matters
The internet rewards speed and volume. But clarity, restraint, and usefulness tend to last longer.
This approach isn’t about resisting change or rejecting tools. It’s about choosing what stays — and being deliberate about what doesn’t.
That choice, more than any tactic, is what gives writing its value.
If you’d like a practical companion to this piece, you can download the Restraint Checklist for Writing Online from Writing & Creative Tools.
Word and Value 