(Conciseness) I have made this letter longer than usual, only because I have not had time to make it shorter. --Blaise Pascal

We're all wordy. In fact, we probably picked up wordy writing habits in school, with all those teachers insisting we write at least three pages. What choice do we have but to pack in as many words as possible to meet that mandate? The first step toward concise writing is to recognize what constitutes wordiness.

Kind ofReally Basically PracticallyActuallyVirtually GenerallyCertainParticular IndividualGivenVarious

Productivity actually depends on certain factors that basically involve psychology more than any other particular technology. Prune the meaningless modifiers, and we get something more concise: Productivity depends more on psychology than on technology.

Sometimes we double words for emphasis: Full and completeTrue and accurate Hopes and desiresHope and trust Each and everyFirst and foremost Any and all Various and sundry Basic and fundamental

Completely finishPersonal beliefs Free giftPast history Final outcomeImportant essentials Each individualTrue facts Consensus of opinionBasic fundamentals Sudden crisisEnd result Future plansTerrible tragedy Initial preparation

Replace The reason forIn light of the fact that For the reason thatOwing to the fact that Due to the fact thatConsidering the fact that with:Because, since, or why.

Replace In the event that If it should happen/transpire that Under circumstances which with:If.

Replace As regardsConcerning the matter of In reference toWhere... is concerned With regard to with:About.

Replace It is crucial thatIt is important that It is necessary thatIt is incumbent upon There is a need forCannot be avoided with:Must, should.

Replace Is able toHas the capacity for Is in a position toHas the ability to Has the opportunity to with: Can.

Replace It is possible thatThere is a chance that It could happen thatThe possibility exists that with:May, might, can, could.

Replace Prior toFollowing on In anticipation ofAt the same time as Subsequent toSimultaneously with with:Before, when, as, after.

Replace The point I am trying to make In a very real sense As a matter of fact with:Nothing. These are empty phrases. Never use them.

Passive: Joe's work was not viewed favorably by everyone. Active: Not everyone viewed Joe's work favorably.

A noun can be formed from a verb by adding a suffix: dismiss/dismissal, repent/repentance, devote/devotion. But these constructions make for weaker, wordy writing. Weak:Many patients made the discovery that communication with other patients via the Internet was helpful in providing support to everyone. Strong:Many patients discovered that communicating with other patients via the Internet helped everyone emotionally.

Wordy:In my personal opinion, it is necessary that we all not fail to listen to and think over in a very careful manner each and every suggestion that anyone offers us. Every opinion is personal, so cut personal. And since a statement like this is obviously opinion, cut in my opinion. It is necessary means must. We implies all. Listen to and think over means consider. In a careful manner means carefully, and very adds nothing. Each and every is redundant, so we need only each. A suggestion is, by definition, offered to someone, so neither do we need that anyone offers to us. And since the negative not fail implies its positive, and positive language is always more effective than negative, change the sentence to an affirmative. Concise:We must consider each suggestion carefully.

A)Do not try to anticipate in advance those events that will completely revolutionize our society because past history shows that it is the eventual outcome of seemingly minor events that has unexpectedly surprised us most.

B)The holes must be aligned in an accurate manner.

C)Imagine a picture of someone engaged in the process of trying to learn the rules for playing chess.

D)Specifying the target or consumer that you want to reach with your product is the main step in advertising.

E)The educational process and athletic activities are the responsibility of the county government.