How To Make Your Words More Powerful

Home > Blog > Tips For Writers, Tips > How To Make Your Words More Powerful

“Revision is one of the exquisite pleasures of writing.” – Bernard Malamud

Sometimes it’s just good to know when to shut up.

The problem with a lot of amateur writers is that they can be long-winded, writing in a few paragraphs what could be said in a few sentences. They might think they’re impressing people with their flowery prose or thought-out arguments … but really they’re losing the reader.

Most people don’t have time to wade through long paragraphs for a few nuggets of information. Do the reader a favor by getting to the point.

I can’t claim to be the world’s most concise writer. I have certainly written my share of long posts — but my goal is to pack my posts with useful information. You can’t do that in a couple paragraphs, but you can try to edit all extraneous words and information and just have the essentials.

Here’s a quick guide to doing that.

1. Do just one thing, and do it well. Know from the outset what you’re trying to do with any writing piece, whether that’s a post or a short story or a magazine article or a novel. The piece should have one main purpose, and you should start your writing by defining that purpose. I usually try to do that with my post title (or “headline”). If you don’t define your purpose, you might have several aims, and that diffuses the power of your writing. Trying to do too many things at once is a sure recipe for wordiness and confusion.

2. Write, then revise. When you’re doing your first draft, there’s no need to be concise. Just type away, and let the words flow. Don’t stop yourself. Then go over that first draft, closely examining each sentence and word to ensure that they’re necessary to achieve the purpose of the piece. Then revise again. Revision can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be: it’s simply reading your own work with a critical eye, and it’s necessary if you want to write well. The art of writing is really the art of revision.

3. Learn to revise in your head. Once you’ve done enough revision, it can become an automatic process. I wouldn’t recommend this for beginners — do revision after you do your first draft — but for the more experienced editors, revision becomes something that’s part of the writing process. You begin to test out phrases and words for their sound, and begin to shorten things as you go. It’s a good skill that cuts back on revision time later (though you will still need to do that). I revise as the thought is flowing from my head to my fingers, and then I revise what I just typed as I go along, and then I go back and revise that first draft when the whole piece is done.

4. Eliminate the non-essential. If you know the essential ideas you’re trying to communicate, try to identify the non-essential ones. Would the piece be just as good without it? Sometimes we feel things are essential, but if we eliminate them, the piece isn’t hurt at all. If you’re not sure, try it without the word or phrase or sentence. Always keep in mind your purpose (see No. 1 above) so that you know what’s essential — only the words and sentences necessary to achieve that purpose, and no more.

5. Learn the common mistakes. After awhile, you’ll see common phrases that can be shortened. “The fact that” is almost never necessary, for example. It adds extra words without adding meaning. I could provide a list of common extraneous phrases, but I think it’s better to learn them as you go — you get better at spotting them that way, and better understand why they’re unnecessary.

6. Read The Elements of Style. A concise guide to writing concisely. It’s a classic for a reason — there is no better guide to eliminating excess words.

RECENT POSTS

How To Launch A Writing Career: 10 Tips For Success

Many creatives want to launch a writing career, but taking the steps to do so is a frequent roadblock. The good news is, if you want to launch a writing career and are committed to doing so, you’re likely to succeed.  Of course, the definition of success is...

6 Book Introduction Examples: Helpful Secrets To Compelling Intros

The topic of book introduction examples is vital to dive into due to their influence on readers’ mindset. How a reader feels when he or she starts chapter one and page one of your manuscript impacts how they respond to your writing. When you’ve spent weeks, months, or...

5 Tips To Write Faster: Finish Your Book In Record Time

Did you know that if you want to write faster than the average typist (40 words per minute) there are actionable steps you can take to do so? Whether you are working on typing out your debut novel or have been in the game for years, there’s always an opportunity to...

Vision Boards For Writers: 3 Ways To Achieve Your Dreams

Vision boards are more than just a fun activity to engage in at the start of a new year or season. While vision boards are often designed to be aesthetically pleasing and can be a relaxing activity, they actually can be more helpful to your writing dreams than you...

JOIN OVER 2 MILLION READERS

WANT YOUR NEXT BOOK TO BE A BESTSELLER?

Then you need KDP Rocket – the killer advantage of pro authors.

Related Posts

How To Launch A Writing Career: 10 Tips For Success

How To Launch A Writing Career: 10 Tips For Success

Many creatives want to launch a writing career, but taking the steps to do so is a frequent roadblock. The good news is, if you want to launch a writing career and are committed to doing so, you’re likely to succeed.  Of course, the definition of success is...

About The Author

Mary Jaksch

Mary Jaksch is best known for her exceptional training for writers at WritetoDone.com and for her cutting-edge book, Youthful Aging Secrets. In her “spare” time, Mary is also the brains behind GoodlifeZEN.com, a Zen Master, a mother, and a 5th Degree Black Belt.

Latest Posts

How to Find Freelance Writing Work (2024 Guide)

How to Find Freelance Writing Work (2024 Guide)

Freelance writing is a great way to earn some extra money on the side. But as you may discover once you get a foothold in the industry, it’s more than possible to turn it into a full-time job and lifelong career. There are some hurdles that you have to overcome,...

31 Ways to Find Inspiration for Your Writing

31 Ways to Find Inspiration for Your Writing

You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. - Jack London No matter how much you love writing, there will always be days when you need inspiration from one muse or another. In fact, I would argue that inspiration is not just a desirable...