Saturday, September 22, 2012

Don't Clutter Your Writing with Too Many Words!

Here is my poem.  It is twenty lines.  If I'd had more time, it could have been ten.

~Maya Angelou (I think!)

I originally wrote:  "I attribute this quote to Maya Angelou, though I am unable to confirm that these are her words."

Which attribution is better? 

~Short and pithy almost always wins!

That last sentence first arrived on the page thusly:  "Nevertheless, for a writer of poetry or prose, the advice this quote contains is among the most sound we will find."

~ Powerful writing uses few words to say profound things. 

That sentence started out like this:  "Good writers use the fewest words possible to say the most profound things."

While the edited 'powerful writing' version may not win any prizes, it's better, stronger, yes - more powerful than its first iteration.

So the moral of the story is cut to core.  Say what you mean with the sharpest word choice. 

Get it?  Got it?  Good!

And write, Dream Writers!

~ Who's your favorite clean, clear, impactful author?  I'd love to hear from you!



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