"Just" for "J" Week

Well, lucky for me that Seth Godin blogged about writing this week and gave me my inspiration. Here is his full post:

Sort of, just and Donald Trump

I noticed a little while ago that I was using the word "just" and the phrase "sort of" in my writing. All the time, in fact. In my last book, a search and replace removed more than 80 unnecessary 'justs'.

Just say it.

Don't hide behind waffling terms that don't mean anything.

On the other hand, as I passed the skating rink in New York with the Donald's name plastered all over it, I'm reminded of a new trend I'm seeing more of, which is the act of declaring whatever you're working on 'the best ever,' 'the best in the world,' etc.

Saying it doesn't make it so. In fact, it probably makes it unso.

Take the advice and cut out those extra words. Not just the waffling words but the insistent words like "very" as in "It was a very long time since he had called".

In fact, you should be able to go through your writing and cut it by at least 10%. When I edit the work of wordy professionals like lawyers, bureaucrats, and academics, I set myself a goal of reducing the word count by 30%.

E is for efficient, effective, economical writing

Plain language techniques can help you get the message through efficiently and effectively. It takes effort but it’s worth it.

Poorly written documents contribute to inefficiencies, management problems, higher administrative costs, and poor public relations. Clear communication gives you a positive image as efficient, responsive, and friendly. Isn't that how you want your clients to see you?

Improving your writing saves both time and money. Think of the time spent writing and editing. And the time wasted correcting misunderstandings. Imagine the gains to be achieved by making your written material more efficient and effective.

One of my clients prized brevity above all and insisted that all staff memos be limited to one page. But sometimes clarity requires more text or more space, and clarity is what we are really after.

A few weeks ago, Kenneth W. Davis put it this way:

Be economical

Some trainers and textbooks talk about conciseness or brevity. I prefer the word economy. It suggests dollars, pounds, and euros, and reminds us that business is about money. As someone once said, in the game of business, money is how we keep score. This week, as you revise your drafts, look for ways to save money, especially by making smaller demands on your readers' time.

One man's brevity is another woman's impatience

Plain language, and any good writing, is all about knowing your audience and meeting their needs. So this comment is helpful confirmation that we all appreciate brevity and suffer from information overload--even the billionaires:

At Seth's Blog

How to write for a billionaire

“I’m sometimes frustrated by the long stories,” Rupert Murdoch says about the Wall Street Journal."