7 Steps to Better Writing - Charles Maxwell 2020

Keep it simple – less can be more
Step 6 – Revise

The simplest approach to writing better is to write simpler. Focus on one idea and develop it with simple logic. Write shorter sentences. Use simpler words.

Father Tom Allender, S.J. said it well, “If you don’t keep it awfully simple, it will become simply awful.”^[14]

Focus on One Idea

As you edit your draft, you may discover that you have mixed several ideas together. This can occur at the document level or at the paragraph level. If the ideas represent a progression, then great; but if you are simultaneously developing several parallel ideas, it is better to divide distinct ideas into different paragraphs, separate sections, or discrete documents.

Use simpler words

Short words often work better than long words. Consider the following examples.

Richard Lederer shows the power of short words in the following passage:^[15]

When you speak and write, there is no law that says you have to use big words. Short words are as good as long ones, and short, old words—like sun and grass and home—are best of all. A lot of small words, more than you might think, can meet your needs with a strength, grace, and charm that large words do not have.

Big words can make the way dark for those who read what you write and hear what you say. Small words cast their clear light on big things—night and day, love and hate, war and peace, and life and death. Big words at times seem strange to the eye and the ear and the mind and the heart. Small words are the ones we seem to have known from the time we were born, like the hearth fire that warms the home.

Short words are bright like sparks that glow in the night, prompt like the dawn that greets the day, sharp like the blade of a knife, hot like salt tears that scald the cheek, quick like moths that flit from flame to flame, and terse like the dart and sting of a bee.

Here is a sound rule: Use small, old words where you can. If a long word says just what you want to say, do not fear to use it. But know that our tongue is rich in crisp, brisk, swift, short words. Make them the spine and the heart of what you speak and write. Short words are like fast friends. They will not let you down.

This is not to say that you cannot use big words. If you are a geologist, such terms as “depositional environment” and “Paleoproterozoic tectonic subduction zone” convey precise meanings, and they should be used. This is true for all scientific and business disciplines. Technical writing requires precise phrases and long words. Use the words that convey meaning.

On the other hand, avoid needlessly inflating your vocabulary. If you have a choice between a long word and a short word, choose the short word. Your readers will welcome it.

Economize — omit needless words

Single words often can replace entire phrases. Economize by eliminating extra, needless, unnecessary, redundant, nonessential, superfluous, and excessively elongated and wordy expressions. The following examples illustrate a single word replacing a phrase.

Sometimes entire phrases can be eliminated. Consider the following examples, where emphasis indicates unnecessary words.

In the following examples, emphasis indicates unnecessary words. Underlining (in red, green, and violet on devices that show color) indicates thoughts that have been re-expressed more efficiently.

Consider eliminating unnecessary words, such as really, very, kind-of, sort-of.

Also, consider replacing perfect verb tenses when simpler verb tenses work as well. There is a slight difference in meaning, but often the distinction is unimportant. Perfect tense verbs include the helper words has, have, had, and having. Consider the following examples.

In summary, avoid bloat by cutting words that fail to carry their weight.

Prefer short sentences over long sentences

Short sentences often work better than long sentences. Many style guides recommend keeping the average sentence length to no more than 15-20 words. This provides for some sentences being longer and others being shorter. However, you may find even shorter sentences are better.

The problem with long sentences is they require more time and brainpower to process. This slows the reading process and can reduce comprehension.

Consider the following example. The poor passage consists of 1 paragraph, 2 sentences, and 88 words, thus averaging 44 words per sentence. The second example splits the statement into 2 paragraphs and 5 sentences, reduces the word count to 66 words, and drops the average sentence length to 13 words.

Sometimes ideas require long paragraphs, long sentences, and long words, but generally short and simpler writing works better. That said, do not be a slave to short sentences. Using a mixture of short and modestly long sentences and moderate and short paragraphs provides variety and improves interest.

Also, sentences that adhere to the same development pattern can become monotonous. While using good judgment, consider variations.

Other techniques to eliminate wordiness

Write to the point. Take care to avoid verb phrases when single-word verbs will do, such as the following.

Be aware of “-ation” and “-sion” words, such as: action, coordination, customization, discussion, finalization, individualization, initiation, justification, materialization, normalization, operation, participation, rationalization, suspension, transformation, winterization, etc. Replace these nouns with their corresponding verbs. Here are examples.

Here are more examples of word economy.

In summary, keep your writing lean.