When my list of columns is long, I split it up into multiple lines, usually 7-8 per line (where I work, column names are capped at 30 chars, hence the 200 character estimate), unless it is a case statement. In case statements, each case/when clause get its own line, so you'll have:
case when condition then result \ when condition_2 then result_2 \ ...\ when condition_n then result_n end as column_name \
All of my queries and statements follow the same logic and set of rules, I just prefer a more compact view than most it seems (which could indicate that I'm optimizing for a different set of constraints/preferences).
I'll have to look into using :split.
Honestly I don't think about formatting that much anymore, as I've started storing most of my statements as "metrics" which can be easily repurposed for use in another script. Each metric contains the name of the metric, the columns added, the metric source (usually a table, but can also be a select stmt), the possible join conditions, extra SQL like where, group by, qualify, and any indices. When I want to use that metric in another script, I can do so by specifying the metric name, the table or select statement I'd like append the metric's columns to, and my join conditions. It works great for simple to moderately complex queries, and provides you a good starting point for really complex queries. Plus, it auto-formats everything how I like it. I also use comments to explain what the statement is doing, so someone theoretically should be able to get a pretty good idea of whats going just by reading that.
I really only think about formatting when I'm reading others code and trying to make sense of it, which is where I find the the formatting like the author mentioned most annoying/frustrating (perhaps because it's different than how I think/do things?).