How do you downsize your writing? Edit ruthlessly!

How do you update a book and keep the number of pages the same or shorter? You downsize your writing!

The 42 chapters and 8 showcases that comprise the 1^st edition of Communicating Nutrition: The Authoritative Guide contain nearly 300,000 words. Our goal for the 2^nd edition is to keep the total word count no longer than the original while updating and adding content.

Accomplishing that goal means cutting unnecessary content. Getting rid of something we created can be difficult. Author Steven King calls it “killing your darlings.” Ouch!

When it comes to quality writing, fewer words are almost always more powerful and impactful.

In last week’s post, we explored 5 reasons downsizing transforms your writing. This post tackles how. Do you know how to downsize your writing?

The answer is simple: Edit ruthlessly!

What is editing?

The editing process is often summarized as making sure your writing has the following characteristics: clear, cohesive, consistent, correct, concise, and complete. To downsize your writing is the editing that makes it more concise.

How do you downsize your writing?

You create writing that is clear, cohesive, consistent, correct, and complete with no wasted words. Take out anything that distracts from your main idea. Eliminate unessential words. These include jargon, cliches, colloquialisms, two words where one will do, ambiguities, and excess examples. Short and to the point.

Try it… Remove unnecessary words:               

The couple admired the very lovely morning sunrise as they enjoyed their coffee.

  Your edit: ____________________________________________

Downsized writing uses simple language in short sentences and paragraphs. It is precise. Subjects and verbs are close together near the beginning of sentences. It is clear, not confusing.

Try it… Shorten this sentence to no more than 5 words:

There has been an increase in the amount of pizza consumed by teenagers.

  Your edit: ____________________________________________

Downsized writing is accomplished with rigorous editing. How? Take a break from your writing and return with fresh eyes. Read it aloud. Rewrite until it flows smoothly. Ask others for feedback. Try out their suggestions. As stated in Chapter 22: Write. Review. Revise. Repeat.

How are we doing in accomplishing our goal?

The original showcases averaged 1,250 words. So far, with 7 out of 8 showcases submitted, the average length is 1,000 words – mission accomplished! The original chapters averaged just under 7,000 words. The 37 chapters submitted to date average just over 7,000 words.

Together, the authors are doing an amazing job of downsizing the writing. It is clear, cohesive, consistent, correct, complete, AND concise. After the review process, we should be able to meet our word count by editing ruthlessly!

Here are possible edits of the examples above:

                The couple enjoyed coffee with a breathtaking sunrise. (5 words deleted)

                Teenagers are eating more pizza. (8 words deleted)

What were your answers? There are multiple ways to edit well.

“The writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.” ~ Dr. Seuss

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