Beginning my career as a radio journalist taught me a lot about tight writing.
When you have to tell a story in 30 seconds or less, you learn to keep it lean by cutting out all non-essential words.
This is a useful skill for any written communication.
Concise writing is crisp and clear.
It’s also more engaging because your audience does not have to wade through word-porridge to understand what you mean.
For example:
- undertake a consultation exercise = consulted
- in regards to = about
- have an impact upon = affect
- conduct a survey = survey
- are inclusive of = include
- due to the fact that = because
- the majority of = most
Less words, more precision = plain, accessible English.
Want your work to shine with tight writing? Contact Cinden to talk about your project.
| Cinden Lester has more than 25 years’ experience as a professional writer, editor and communications specialist—having worked as a broadcast journalist, in private sector marketing and public relations, and in government communications before establishing her own Canberra-based communications consultancy. |
