How to make your writing more concise

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

You’ve read many times the advice to keep your writing clear and concise. You get concise sentences when you take out the words you don’t need. But how do you do that?

First it means being a brutal editor of your work. Re-read your work before you “publish” it. For each sentence ask yourself if you could say the same thing in fewer words.

Are there jargon words you could replace?

Are there adverbs to remove? Often the best way to do this is to replace the verb and adverb combination with a more accurate verb. For example, instead of walk slowly you could have dawdle or amble or creep.

Have you said the same thing with different words (tautology is the technical term from the Greek for same words)? Here are some examples:

  • innocent bystander
  • global pandemic
  • new innovation
  • close proximity
  • in my opinion, I think that …
  • necessary requirement
  • added bonus

After taking out jargon, adverbs and tautologies you will have a much more concise document or email or whatever.

Try it the next time you write something

PS. The quotation at the top is by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (the guy who wrote The Little Prince).

Begin with the end in mind.

As far as financial writing is concerned I suppose what I mean is that first you need to understand what outcome the document should produce. Is it a decision? For information? To persuade someone? To sell something? To be accountable?

If you want a decision from the reader — your boss, perhaps, then make it clear that is the purpose of the document. You might put the recommended way forward right at the top of the document, with the remainder of the document being your reasons and advice for the recommendation.

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