1. Cut the qualifiers – “Very,” “really,” and other qualifiers can bloat your writing. Remove them to say more with less.
2. Watch your adverbs – These words usually end in “-ly.” Use them sparingly, only when you need to make a point. They’re usually a sign you should trim the fat.
Example: “The car rolled down the driveway slowly.”
Revised: “The car crawled down the driveway.”
3. Look at adjectives objectively – Like adverbs, adjectives aren’t always necessary. Often, you don’t need them unless they’re relevant to your subject matter.
Example: “Made of high quality steel, these knives are tough enough to slice tin cans.”
Revised: “Made of quality steel, these knives slice through the toughest tin cans.”
4. Be less specific – Instead of writing a long description or explanation, link to another article on the topic to give readers more info. Also, in your wording, you can move from the specific to the general:
Example: “We looked at three houses on Elm Street and one on Forest Avenue before we made an offer on our current home.”
Revised: “We looked at four houses before we made an offer on our current home.”
5. Think visual – Focus on how best to format blocks of text for easier reading. Especially for items in a series or lists, numbers and bullet points are your best friends. For a practical and attractive way to simplify complex information, try using columns. For a more visual approach, infographics can attract attention to your topic.
Advice from an experienced wordsmith can help you learn how to “weed” your words for better growth as a writer and gain you the right leads.
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What are some of your favorite ways to say more with less? Feel free to comment below.
Quotes
“I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.” ~ Blaise Pascal
“The poem is a form of texting…it’s the original text. It’s a perfecting of a feeling in language — it’s a way of saying more with less, just as texting is.” ~ Carol Ann Duffy
