Editing a Post Down to Fit 280 Characters

Most posts that run over 280 characters have one of three problems: a warm-up sentence before the point, qualifiers that soften every claim, or a second idea that belongs in its own post. Cut those, in that order, and most drafts fit without losing anything a reader would miss.

First, though, it helps to know exactly how X counts, because it isn't one character per keystroke.

How X counts characters

X publishes its counting rules for developers, and they're simple once you know them:

A standard post holds 280 units. In practice that means 140 emoji, or 140 Chinese characters, or about 257 characters of text plus one link. Media you attach doesn't count. In replies, the @mentions that X adds automatically at the start don't count either, though any you type yourself do.

Subscribers to X's paid plans can write up to 25,000 characters. Even then, the feed shows only the first few lines before a "Show more" cut, so tight writing still pays off.

The counter in our formula builder applies these rules as you type.

Step 1: cut the warm-up

Drafts often start with a sentence that gets the writer going: "I've been thinking a lot lately about...", "Here's something I wish someone had told me...", "So this happened today." Delete it and see if the post still works. It almost always does, and the real first line is usually stronger.

Before (174 characters):

I've been thinking a lot lately about how we plan meals at home, and I've realized something. Cooking two proteins on Sunday and combining them later saves us a lot of waste.

After (93 characters):

Cook two proteins on Sunday and combine them during the week. We throw out far less food now.

Step 2: remove hedges and filler

Qualifiers make a sentence longer and the claim weaker. Look for these and cut most of them:

• "I think", "I feel like", "in my opinion" (it's your post; readers know)
• "really", "very", "actually", "just", "quite", "basically"
• "a lot of", "a number of" (use "many", or give the number)
• "in order to" (use "to")
• "the fact that" (usually removable)
• "it's worth noting that", "it's important to remember that"

Keep a qualifier when it's true and matters. "This worked for me" is honest when you're sharing a personal result. "I think maybe this could possibly help" is just nervous.

Step 3: split off the second idea

If the post makes two points, it's two posts. Pick the stronger one and save the other for tomorrow, or turn both into a short thread. This is the single biggest saving, and it usually improves the post more than any word-level edit.

A quick check is to finish the sentence "This post is about..." in five words. If you need "and" to finish it, there's a second idea to remove.

Step 4: tighten the wording

Now go sentence by sentence.

• Swap long words for short ones: "use" for "utilize", "help" for "facilitate", "start" for "commence".
• Turn passive sentences active: "The decision was made by the team" becomes "The team decided."
• Replace phrases with single words: "at this point in time" becomes "now"; "due to the fact that" becomes "because".
• Use numerals: "3" instead of "three", "10%" instead of "ten percent".
• Drop "that" where the sentence reads fine without it.

Contractions help too. "Do not" to "don't" saves a character and sounds more natural.

Step 5: check the links and emoji

Because a link always costs 23 characters, two links eat 46 of your 280. If the post needs a link, one is usually enough. Consider putting a second link in a reply.

Emoji cost two each. A row of five decorative emoji uses ten characters and rarely adds meaning. Keep the ones that do a job, such as a checkbox in a checklist, and drop the rest.

Step 6: read it out loud

Editing for length can leave sentences clipped and robotic. Read the final version aloud. If it sounds like a telegram, put back a word or two. You have room: a post at 265 characters that reads naturally beats one at 240 that sounds compressed.

A full before and after

Here's a draft at 340 characters:

So I wanted to share something that has honestly really helped me a lot with my writing over the past few months. Basically, I've started reading every draft out loud before I post it or send it, and it's actually kind of amazing how many mistakes and awkward sentences I catch that way. I really think everyone should try it at least once.

After cutting the warm-up, the hedges and the filler (150 characters):

Read every draft out loud before you post it.

I started doing this a few months ago, and I catch awkward sentences and typos I'd never see on screen.

The edit kept the point, the personal proof and the reader's next step, and it fits with room to spare.

When it still won't fit

If you've done all of this and the post is still long, the idea probably needs more room. You have two honest options: post it as a short thread, or, if you subscribe, as a long post. Paste the draft into the thread splitter to see how it breaks into posts, then edit each one so it reads well on its own.

Squeezing a big idea into 280 characters by cutting the explanation tends to produce a short, confusing post. Aim for a post that says one thing clearly, whatever its length.

Questions

Do links count toward the 280-character limit?

Yes. Every link counts as 23 characters, however long or short the actual address is. A very long URL costs the same as a short one.

Do emoji count as one character?

No. X counts each emoji as two characters, including emoji with skin tones and most flags, which are technically several characters joined together.

Do @mentions count?

Mentions you type into a post count like any other text. In replies, the mentions X adds automatically at the start don't count toward the limit.