Cut unnecessary words - Seven ways to edit yourself

100 ways to improve your writing - Gary Provost 2019

Cut unnecessary words
Seven ways to edit yourself

Let’s pretend your mechanic called you up and said, “Mr. Duckworth (assuming your name is Mr. Duckworth), your car is ready. I’ve put in a new carburetor, an alternator, and three unnecessary parts.”

What would you think of such a phone call?

Hmmm. You might think it’s time to get a new mechanic.

You don’t want unnecessary parts in your car. They do no good, and they slow you down.

So you certainly don’t want unnecessary words in your writing. They do no good, and they slow you and your reader down.

Every word you write should be doing some work in the sentence. It should earn its keep by providing some portion of the total information you are trying to communicate. A word is unnecessary if it’s doing no work, if it’s doing work that doesn’t have to be done, or if it’s doing work that’s being done by another word or phrase nearby.

Read what you have written and cross out every word that is not contributing information. Sometimes you will cross out two words and replace them with one. Sometimes you will cross out ten words and replace them with five. But most of the words you cross out will require no replacement.

Bad

Better

The annual ball is held once a year in Quincy.

The annual ball is held in Quincy.

It is my opinion that rock and roll will live forever.

I think rock and roll will live forever.

In the event of rain, the picnic will be held on Monday.

If it rains, the picnic will be held Monday.

I would like to say that she was wrong.

She was wrong.

Tom proceeded to thread the needle.

Tom threaded the needle.

At that point in time I was still wearing hats.

Then, I wore hats.

The suspect was driving a 1981 Chevrolet, blue in color.

The suspect was driving a blue 1981 Chevrolet.

It has come to my attention that employees are spending too much time at the water cooler.

Employees are spending too much time at the water cooler.