1199 characters.

[Sholdyn]

I just can't seem to get this background down to 1199 characters and still contain all the pertinent info needed for my concept, even when I write in nearly point form.

Is thumbnail + additional bio entry right away a preferable method now, as opposed to a thumbnail + email to the mud?

[Halaster]

Yeah, that's a great idea

[Tiernan]

I think that's an excellent idea.  My only advice would be that if you desire staff assistance with something in your background you'll want that in your background, not your second biography entry.  This is because your background gets a once-over by an immortal during the approval process whereas biography entries do not.  Personally I tend to give a little more weight to requests based on a background than an additional biography entry, although immortal styles vary.

(Note: I still won't give out a +10 steel broadsword of githslaying because someone slipped it past the approving immortal's eyes, but I might make some minor adjustments that better suit the character and their story).

Also, I believe the background is now up to around 2k characters since the reboot with the editor changes has occurred.