The problem with answering an abstract issue like this is it gives (or revokes) a licence to butcher verbose posts regardless of actual quality.

A post can be both long and clear.

Focus on clarity and you'll probably be doing the right thing.

The danger with answering an abstract issue like this is it gives (or revokes) a licence to butcher verbose posts regardless of actual quality.

A post can be both long and clear and the best possible post often isn't the shortest or most direct. A great post will spend time explaining itself. But if you feel the core answer is lost, rearranging can often fix it without losing detail.

But if you focus on clarity, you'll probably be doing the right thing.