Six Tips for Making Your Writing More Succinct and Easier to Read

Six Tips for Making Your Writing More Succinct and Easier to Read

Americans, as a rule, tend to overwrite. A LOT. When I teach writing, I always tell my students to finish their document, edit and proofread it, making it as perfect as they possibly can - and then go back and cut it by 25 percent.

"What? Twenty-five percent? That's impossible!" they always groan.

It's not impossible - it's imperative, if you want your writing to be tighter, more fluid, and easier to read. Here are six tips you can begin applying today.

1. Eliminate the word that. This seems like a small detail - and it is. However, throughout the course of a longer document, every extra word contributes to the clutter and makes your writing just a little clunkier and more difficult to read. The word that is one of the most overused.

INSTEAD OF

The Internet is a tool that most of us now take for granted,
much like the way that the telephone used to be.

USE

The Internet is a tool most of us now take
for granted, much like the telephone used to be.

For a reduction of 4 words.

I on a team of editors who work on a holistic health journal, published bimonthly in Scottsdale. One of the other gals on the editing team is overzealous (and often incorrect or extraneous) in her use of that. The publisher and one of the other editors find it funny that for ever instance of the word that Lynn adds, I remove two. They've even made a sport of it, keeping track with cross-hatches as we go through the editing process. Last issue, Lynn added 11 thats; I removed 23. Fortunately, the team votes on consensus, and the majority tend to agree with me.

2. Use adjectives instead of prepositional phrases - particularly of.

INSTEAD OF

Kathy knocked over the glass of soda and spilled it all over the photo of her family.

USE

Kathy knocked over the soda and spilled it all over her family's photo.

For a reduction of 4 words.

3. Use fewer, stronger adjectives.

INSTEAD OF

That big, mean, ugly, green beast known as jealousy consumed Phil when he saw his girlfriend flirt with the young gas station attendant who had the looks of a model.

USE

A monstrous jealousy consumed Phil when he saw his girlfriend flirt with the handsome, young gas station attendant.

For a reduction of 12 words.

4. Avoid redundancies.

INSTEAD OF

Ensure that you have a healthy mind and body through activities like yoga, taking short walks, going to the gym, or playing sports that will enhance your physical and mental health.

USE

Preserve a healthy mind and body with activities like yoga, short walks, working out, or playing sports.

For a reduction of 14 words.

5. Wherever possible, eliminate wordy consttructions. You can make easy changes like:

Rather than has the ability to, use can.
In place of at this point in time, write now.
Instead of due to the fact that, use because.
In place of in order to, write to.
Rather than in the event that, use if.
Instead of prior to the start of, use before.

For a reduction of 3, 4, 4, 2, 3, and 4 words, respectively.


6. Watch for your pet word or phrase - things like regarding or having said that - and use it sparingly. If you overuse it, it will stand out in your reader's mind, potentially distracting them from your message.

BONUS:

NEVER use in other words. If the other words are better, use them instead!

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For answers to your questions about writing, editing, marketing, or design e-mail Laura or visit Write |
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