Great thread.
Some 5 c worth from the editor side of checklists and procedures. I've been writing manuals of all sorts for 20 years. Since 8 years also in aviation.
While waiting for this first employment on a JAR 23/25 aircraft I flew a Piper Aztec E PA23-250 to keep my CPL/IR MEP rating. As I always found it fun to write up manuals and as for the Aztec there were none except of the very rudimentary 40 years old Piper documentation I built my own checklist...
It was great fun to get mislead and find back to a "good" way of flying the Aztec. Reading this thread I had to go and fetch my first example of this checklist. Huh 15 pages but only A5 (half a letter format) printed only on one side. Including Pax briefing speed tables and power settings.
The fun was to write up something and then try it in real life. Hahaha - after the first try I was back in the office shortening it. And then I shortened it again and again. It was exactly all these "Airmanship" items (such as "seatbelts") which load a checklist.
Then I changed to have an expanded checklist for training purposes and eventual preparation as I started flying also C340 and C402's just to have a reference and the checklist itself was down to 4 pages.
The last version was 4 pages including the approach speed table and all items from line-up to landing were memory items. the most useful was the approach speed table - no more long landings with that one.
Later in my career I had the great opportunity to write up the procedures and checklist for the ATR Turboprop. The checklist fit on a 20 x 30 cm (4 x 6") single sided laminated sheet. Still the instructors insisted in a couple additional items not in the "killer-item" class I would have omitted as they were covered by cautions or very obvious such as "document door closed" which had a caption and you would bet you can hear it being open when starting engine #1.
With my actual operator in a very complex transport jet aircraft we also have a very simple and straightforward checklist philosophy. Great working.
Today I'd always opt for the KISS (keep it short and simple) approach to any checklist. As for any aircraft I have seen up to date:
Power - V1 - rotate - V2 - gear up - flaps up
always worked just fine. And the reverse order for landing as well
Happy Landings