1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: tip is that when you're writing, making something shorter almost 4 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 1: always makes it better. So give your writing a haircut 5 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 1: and your readers will be happier to read what you wrote. 6 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: This week, I'm sharing some of my favorite writing tips. 7 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: Even if you don't write for a living, you might 8 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 1: need to write reports or emails or articles for industry publications. 9 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:47,559 Speaker 1: A few strategies can help anyone create writing that is 10 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:53,160 Speaker 1: more compelling and clear. So my first professional writing gigs 11 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: were for USA Today and Readers Digest, which are two 12 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: publications known for brevity. Paper publications always have limited space, 13 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 1: and so whatever I wrote the first time would almost 14 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: always need to become shorter to make it onto the page. 15 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: This was sometimes frustrating, and it doesn't work to turn 16 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:19,559 Speaker 1: a one thousand word article into a five hundred word article. 17 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: You need a different sized thesis for those two lengths. 18 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 1: That said, turning a one thousand word article into a 19 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: nine hundred word article is not only possible, it will 20 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 1: likely improve things. Here's how you will immediately hunt for 21 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 1: extraneous phrases. We all have these throat clearing sets of 22 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 1: words that we throw in without thinking about it. If 23 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: you are aiming to cut ten to fifteen percent, those 24 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 1: will go fast. You'll also look for more comprehensive words. 25 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: Walked slowly might become ambled. Ran really quickly might become sprinted. 26 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: Exact words make writing more pleasurable. A subject will return 27 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 1: to later this week. You will act the passive voice. Generally, 28 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:19,920 Speaker 1: sentences where the subject does the verb are more succinct 29 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: than ones where the verb is happening and we have 30 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 1: to back up and explain that it is being done 31 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:31,640 Speaker 1: by someone. You will ask yourself if every word in 32 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: every sentence is necessary. Often they aren't. Sometimes one sentence 33 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 1: explains things better than another, and so you will keep 34 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: the sentence that does the hard work and get rid 35 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,079 Speaker 1: of the one that's just standing there acting like it's 36 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 1: helping a bit. By weighing each word and each sentence, 37 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 1: your writing will become more clear. It is generally easier 38 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: for a reader to get through nine hundred words than 39 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 1: one thousand. If the nine hundred words can say the 40 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 1: same thing as the one thousand words, then everyone is winning. 41 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 1: Now again, there is a limit on this I have 42 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: seen some amazing work get hacked over the years just 43 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: to fit into a certain space. In the digital world, 44 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: this is all a little bit more arbitrary and not 45 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: as necessary as in the days of print. But if 46 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: you want to learn to be your own best editor, 47 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 1: aiming to say things in ten to fifteen percent fewer 48 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: words will teach you all sorts of editing skills. You'll 49 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: learn better grammar and style almost by default. In the meantime, 50 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 51 00:03:51,160 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to 52 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,600 Speaker 1: hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 53 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, 54 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. That's b E the 55 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 1: number four then Breakfast pod. You can also shoot me 56 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 1: an email at Before Breakfast Podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com. 57 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 1: That before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 58 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, should I look forward to staying in touch. 59 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts 60 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 1: from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 61 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.