10 Quick Tips for Concise & Compelling Writing

A Guest Post by Tom Walker

Writing about anything you are interested in or passionate about can be tricky. It’s hard, once you have filled your head with research to write a concise, engaging piece without being bogged down by details. Readers, however, will most likely only read the first few sentences and start skimming if your copy doesn’t grab them right away. Massive chunks of text are likely to be ignored by most readers altogether.
To make sure that your work gets the attention it deserves, follow our tips for culling your words and make every paragraph count.

1. Decide on your point – Ask yourself what the central message of the piece is and why readers should be interested, and then write with the answers to these questions in mind.

2. Plan – It’s easier to write from a plan than to pluck thoughts from your head in a random order. Draw up a list of five relevant points, or less if possible. Under each point note what information needs to be included, and stick to it. If something is interesting, but not relevant, leave it out.

3. Use short sentences – Long, complex sentences are fine for a great literary work. In every other kind of writing, readers want information fast, in digestible chunks. Shorter sentences (26 words or under) maintain interest and give your points more impact. Use the correct punctuation to prevent running on, and avoid dashes and semi-colons which allow your sentences to run into whole paragraphs.

4. Use plain English – You may be proud of your wide vocabulary, but for the majority of writing flowery language is inappropriate. It confuses, alienates or irritates readers. Stick to the simplest terms possible for maximum effect.

5. Use active voice – This means, writing directly. So, rather than “the contract was won by John Smith,” write “John Smith won the contract.” This will help you to cut down the words in between the subjects of the sentence.

6. Be conscious of your verbs, adverbs and adjectives – Verbs are the power behind concise, yet compelling writing. A well-chosen, underused verb can drive a sentence home. Adjectives and adverbs, however, should be used with caution. A few is more than enough.

7. Get to the point – An introduction is necessary, but it should be short. Going into too much detail at the beginning will mean repeating yourself later. A brief overview will give readers a taste of what you are going to cover and leave them wanting more.

8. Avoid hedging – Hedging means to excessively avoid making bold statements. For example, you could write, “Now, many young people might have a tendency to choose not to vote.” Instead, you could write “Now, young people choose not to vote.”

9. Use examples – It’s often more efficient to use a story to explain your point than to try and get the message across with complex hypothetical description. Examples also spice up your writing and help break up all the facts.

10. Don’t be too thorough – Outside of in-depth reports, the purpose of most writing is not to provide an exhaustive account of an event, product or issue. Instead, your piece should be more of a cabaret introduction to your subject, or a quick focus on a particular aspect. Trying to cover everything about a subject in a short space will leave you with confusing copy that delivers nothing.

11. Use technology – It isn’t cheating to use your word processor. spellcheck, thesaurus or dictionary. Use these tools freely to save yourself time and help give your work a professional polish. Correct spelling and using the right words seems obvious, but plenty of writers forget about this.

12. Edit your work – Even the best writers can’t dash off a perfect piece in one go. Once you have finished, go back and review your work, or better, read it to someone else, to make sure it is concise and makes sense. Be prepared to change things around, and be ruthless when it comes to cutting out anything that is unnecessary.

Concise writing is fundamental in getting ahead as a writer. Newspapers employ armies of sub-editors whose role is to cut down sloppy reporting into short, sharp copy that grabs attention from the first line. Concise work is something editors dream of. The less they have to cut, and the easier copy is to read, the more likely they are to commission it. Equally, when published, the more concise and punchy your writing is, the more people will be willing to read it properly, and the more your message will stick in their minds.