What is Conciseness in Writing?

Conciseness, or concision, in writing means being efficient on the page. Whereas succinct writing refers to writing that employs the fewest amount of words possible, concise writing refers to writing that uses the most effective words available. Often, being concise entails using fewer words. At the end of the day, though, concision is all about communicating effectively through writing that’s readable and clear, and avoids the use of unnecessary words.

Ways to Improve the Conciseness in Your Writing

So, how do you make sure that your writing and communication is concise? To start, follow these simple guidelines.

1. Avoid Run-On Sentences

Most often, a run-on sentence is simply one that runs on longer than it should. In technical terms, though, a run-on sentence is any sentence that combines two or more independent clauses—that is, complete sentences—without the inclusion of proper punctuation or use of punctuation.

Run-on sentences are most frequently created by writers trying to pack too much information into one place, as in the sentence below.

Example: I was trying to be sure I got all of my ideas across in my writing however my sentences kept getting longer and longer.

Of course, run-on sentences can be much shorter and, to some, less obvious.

Example: I arrived late, this always happens.

Each of these examples contain two sentences that could stand on their own. Take the first example. “I wanted to make sure I got all of my ideas across in my writing” and “the sentences kept getting longer” are both independent clauses. Yet, because they are connected by the transitional expression “however” without the proper punctuation, they combine to form a run-on sentence. One way to fix this is to add correct punctuation.

Example: I was trying to be sure that I got all of my ideas across in my writing; however, my sentences always kept getting longer and longer.

Another is to split it into two sentences, which you can do with both examples:

Example: I was trying to be sure that I got all of my ideas across in my writing. However, my sentences always kept getting longer and longer.

That’s certainly better, but the road to concise, effective writing doesn’t end there.

2. Get Rid of Filler

To make sure you’re making the most of your space on the page, look for places in your writing where you’ve used any unnecessary or redundant words.

To do this, you might examine your new sentences and find words that can be eliminated without changing the meaning of the full passage.

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Continuing with the first sentence of our example, consider the phrase “in my writing.” Given the second sentence’s reference to sentences, does this need to be spelled out? Or is it clear upon finishing the second sentence that “in your writing” is where you want to get your ideas across? This is up for debate, and it’s ultimately a matter of personal preference—but you could eliminate this sentence and still be communicating effectively.

Here are some easier examples: the phrase “longer and longer” and the adverb “always.” Are these essential to the idea you’re trying to communicate? Probably not. Eliminate these pieces of your sentence, and you’ll wind up with an even more concise sentence:

I was trying to be sure I got my ideas across. However, my sentences kept getting longer.

3. Avoid the Passive Voice

Another way to make your work more concise is to avoid using the passive voice. The passive voice refers to a sentence in which the subject is acted upon by the verb, rather than the other way around. While there are uses for the passive voice, it can lead to wordier writing that can be awkward, cloud its meaning for readers, or take emphasis away from the subject of a sentence.

Example of passive voice: The race was completed by Charlotte in record time.
Example of active voice: Charlotte completed the race in record time.

Retuning to our ongoing example, you won’t find the passive voice in use. However, being aware of the potential pitfalls of passive voice comes with an added benefit: It can call your attention to writing that uses unnecessarily long verb phrases. Take the first verb phrase of the sentences we’ve been improving: “I was trying to be sure that I got.” Can this be made more efficient? It sure seems like it.

I tried to get all of my ideas across. However, my sentences kept getting longer.

4. Improve Your Word Choice

All of these moves have helped to clarify our sentence and make it more concise. However, the best tactic available to writers looking to improve their words’ conciseness, efficiency, and effectiveness, is to strengthen their word choice. This requires looking at each word and phrase in your sentence and exploring the possibilities for making it more precise.

When analyzing your word choice you might look to improve on simple adjectives like “good” and “bad.” You might analyze your verbs and swap in a more precise action. Or, you might even combine multiple sentences into one.

With these changes in hand, your sentence will start to look differently as you work to clarify the meaning—it might even get longer. For instance:

I struggled to get my ideas across, and my sentences only grew longer.
I had trouble communicating all of my ideas. My sentences kept getting longer.
My sentences got wordier as I strained to get my ideas across.

Each of these altered sentences has subtle nuances that make it different from the last. It’s up to you, based on the particular circumstances of your writing, to pick the version that’s right for you. And the beauty (or, sometimes, the agony) of writing is that you can go on virtually forever, changing your words until you have what you feel is the perfect, concise sentence—the one that truly gets all of your ideas across.

These lessons can help you improve your communication in any context. Whether you’re writing a cover letter to get your new dream job or crafting your next book, achieving conciseness is always a relevant skill, and the tools covered above can help you bring out your very best.