Keep it short: The case for brevity

I’m a proponent of brevity in writing. Tightly written proposals reflect the care and attention you took to get to the point. They can be lyrical and enjoyable to read, while succinctly delivering your message. Keeping it short helps get results.

Why
Busy readers appreciate brief writing. I groan when I receive a long email. Unless it’s urgent I often put it aside until later. When I read a succinct document I quickly understand the message and am more inclined to respond. Brevity increases the chance a proposal, letter, or report will be read, read sooner, and read from start to finish.

What
It’s a process. In my writing, what you see is far from what I start with. To begin, I write without paying much attention to length because I’m eager to get my thoughts on paper. I return to my draft later, often multiple times. The more I cut, the more I find to cut. The process gets easier, and more satisfying.

Here’s an example
Recently I changed:
“Brenda has found a new job and is working with her case manager to identify strategies for sustained saving.” (19 words) into:
“Brenda has a new job and is identifying strategies for saving.” (11 words)
Version 2 is easier to read, and deleting ‘case manager’ gives more credit to Brenda, where it belongs.

Benefits of brevity

• Your readers will appreciate a quick read that’s easy to understand.
• When the reader is a proposal reviewer, brevity is even more important.
• A shorter writing style is a jump-start to managing exasperating character and word limits.
• Catchy words will be more easily noticed and impress your readers.

Tips

• Shorten sentences and eliminate adjectives. Sometimes a message is stronger without them.
• Ask a colleague for feedback about writing efficiencies.
• When you have a lot of content to communicate, fewer words can help keep your readers on track.
• Don’t forget about email. Some of my most important communication is through email so I review carefully and cut as much as possible.

Finally, don’t compromise quality, but know when to stop. Your document can always be better, but it doesn’t always have to be.

Trimming your writing is like cleaning out your closet: the more you toss the easier it is to see what’s valuable to you, and what you can do without.