10 curt examples to show you how less (words) can be more in writing…

Make your writing more impactful by purging the fluff

Since I advocated doing less, I will skip the introduction for you.

Let’s dive straightaway into the topic…

1. Keep it simple.

Example:

❌"Good writing isn't determined by the volume of words used but by the skill of delivering a clear and impactful message."

✔️"Good writing isn't about saying a lot; it's about saying effectively."

• Simpler > less confusion.

2. Keep it active.

Example:

❌"The cow's tail was hurting as it was held by the drowning villagers."

✔️"The drowning villagers held the cow's tail, causing it pain."

• Heightened emotions.

• More action

3. Replace many words with one.

Example:

❌"The audience couldn't help but guffaw at the comedian’s punchlines."

✔️"The audience couldn't help but laugh loudly and heartily at the comedian’s punchlines."

• Less words > more impact.

4. Marry the one-sentence paragraph.

Example:

❌"This is the biggest time-devouring culprit. And many writers fall into this trap. I don’t."

✔️"This is the biggest time-devouring culprit. And many writers fall into this trap.

I don’t."

• More white space.

• More impact

5. Break up with lengthy sentences.

Example:

❌"Many writers often struggle with this biggest time-devouring pitfall, but I always steer clear of the trap."

✔️"This is the biggest time-devouring culprit. Many writers fall into this trap."

I don’t.

• Easier for your readers to digest.

6. Kill ‘just’.

Example:

❌"She was just standing there."

✔️"She was standing there."

• Let’s stick to the ‘fair’ meaning of the word.

7. Abandon adverbs.

Example:

❌"On seeing the raging bull, he quickly ran into the shop."

✔️"On seeing the raging bull, he dashed into the shop."

• Look out for the -ly(s)—basically, actually, literally, absolutely, totally, completely…[the list if really…(oops!)…long]

8. Don’t repeat yourself.

Example:

❌Free gift: gifts are always free.

❌Unexpected surprise: would it qualify as a surprise if they expected it?

❌Repeat again: again!?

❌Past experience: no one has future experience unless they have a time machine.

• Say no to redundancy.

9. Don’t think in your words.

Example:

❌"I think most writers take a long time to overcome the fear of rejection."

❌"In my opinion, most writers take a long time to overcome the fear of rejection."

✔️"Most writers take time to overcome the fear of rejection."

• Your writing, by default, is your opinion.

10. Don’t be too chatty.

Example:

❌"Do you think you know the answer? Do you? Well, I am waiting. Still waiting…"

✔️"Can you guess?"

• Being conversational is not the same as being a chatterbox.

Finally…

The knowledge that less can do more can make life so much easier.

Well, if not life, it can make one’s writing much better. For sure. And we all witnessed it how.

Want more such nuggets on writing?

Look up here— Lipika Sahu @ Medium

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