Half as long, twice as good

Writing economically goes hand in hand with writing clearly and simply, the first two topics in our series of six articles on good writing style. But writing with economy is also about being kind to your readers – saving them time and effort through benefit-oriented, well-structured text.

Is shorter always better?
"Good things, when short, are twice as good," wrote 17th century Spanish writer Baltasar Gracián.

Of course he's right. The first way to apply economy to your writing is to use fewer words. We've discussed tips for keeping your text short in our articles on clarity and simplicity. Here's a handy checklist:

1. Replace long words with short ones
2. Cut unnecessary words, especially adverbs, adjectives and intensifiers
3. Write short, simple sentences
4. Avoid repetition – say it well once and you won't need to say it again
5. Only write what you need to – you can't say it all

Always follow these rules, but don't trim the word count just for the sake of it. Providing enough information is also important, and the length of a text depends on its context and goals. For example, most readers want detail and depth of information once they reach the fourth level of a website. So, what's the secret to writing more? The answer is good presentation.

Write for "scannability"
Whether reading a web page, brochure or annual report, readers like to skim a text before diving in. Making a text "scannable" can drive home all your points in just a few seconds – and that might be all the time your readers have. Remember these scannability tips:

1.  Focus on the benefit before the feature – readers want to know, "What's in it for me?"
2. Break up your text into small sections
3. Use short, powerful headlines and sub-headlines – this also saves words and gives your writing visual impact
4. Make one main point per paragraph – readers often skip secondary points as they scan over a paragraph
5. Include no more than three or four sentences per paragraph
6. Use numbered or bulleted lists to break up information
7. In the right context, highlight key words using bold, underlined or italicized text

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You're almost there
Congratulations! Now that you've tackled clarity, simplicity and economy, you're halfway through our training camp. Look for the next three essential elements of good writing style in upcoming WordSpin articles.