Writing something long is easy; writing something short is hard. Below is a list of strategies you can use to reduce your word count while making your stories more memorable. It may be difficult at first, but with practice these strategies can become automatic. If you need to lower your word count, or if you just want to improve your writing, try each strategy to discover which ones work best for you.
- Eliminate Passive Verbs
- Avoid Wordy Verb Phrases
- Use Direct Speech
- Deflate Inflated Phrases
- Unique and Important Adjectives to Avoid
- Put a Stop to Inchoative Verbs
- Watch out for IT
- Don't Seem... BE!
- Don't Hedge Your Bets
So the writer who breeds more words than he needs
is making a chore for the reader who reads.
