In 1863, Abraham Lincoln stood before a crowd at Gettysburg and delivered a speech that lasted just over two minutes.
His opponent that day, Edward Everett, had spoken for more than two hours.
Yet, history remembers Lincoln’s words—the Gettysburg Address—as one of the most powerful pieces of rhetoric ever written.
Why?
Because in 272 words, he said everything that needed to be said, without a single wasted phrase.
You see, great communication often hinges not on how much we say, but on how precisely we say it.
That principle is at the heart of Joseph Bizup and Joseph M. Williams’ book, “Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace.”
In their chapter on concision, the two scholars reveal why writing that is technically correct can still feel clumsy, and how trimming away excess transforms ordinary prose into something memorable.
Why Concision Matters
Picture a dinner guest who tells a five-minute story when it could have been told in 30 seconds…
The details pile up, the repetitions stretch on, and by the time the punchline arrives, the audience has already lost interest.
Writing often suffers from the same fate: Too many words diluting a message that could have been delivered with clarity and impact.
Bizup and Williams point out that even skilled writers—those who properly match characters to subjects and actions to verbs—can still produce sentences that feel long-winded and dull.
Readers may sense that the message is buried under layers of extra words.
Bizup and Williams say that true elegance begins with COMPRESSION.
Take this example of bloated writing:
“In my personal opinion, it is necessary that we should not ignore the opportunity to think over each and every suggestion offered.”
The meaning is clear, but the style is muddled. “Opinion” is always personal, “think over” and “not ignore” both mean “consider,” and “each and every suggestion offered” is redundant. Stripped down, the sentence becomes:
“We should consider each suggestion.”
The second version doesn’t dazzle with poetry, but it demonstrates the principle Bizup and Williams call style’s first grace: Concision.
To help writers move from cluttered prose to clear expression, Bizup and Williams offer six practical guidelines. They may seem straightforward, but applying them consistently requires patience, sharp attention, and a willingness to cut what doesn’t belong.
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Delete meaningless words.
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Delete doubled words.
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Delete what readers can infer.
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Replace a phrase with a word.
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Change negatives to affirmatives.
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Delete useless adjectives and adverbs.
Empty fillers like “actually,” “basically,” or “kind of” weaken sentences.
For example:
“Productivity actually depends on certain factors that basically involve psychology more than any particular technology.”
This can be rewritten as:
“Productivity depends on psychology more than on technology.”
Paired phrases such as “true and accurate,” “each and every,” or “first and foremost” add no real value.
One word is enough.
If a word implies its modifier, the modifier is unnecessary.
“Free gift,” “final outcome,” and “future plans” are all examples of needless repetition.
Instead of “Prior to the end of training,” simply say, “Before training ends.”
Instead of “Despite the fact that,” say, “Although.”
Strong vocabulary is key here.
Negatives slow down comprehension and force mental backtracking.
“Do not write in the negative” is better stated as “Write affirmatively.”
Adjectives and adverbs often creep in as padding. By removing them first and restoring only what’s essential, writers ensure clarity and strength.
The Hard Work of Cutting Words
Bizup and Williams stress that concision isn’t effortless. It requires combing through each sentence, weighing every phrase, and trimming relentlessly.
The process is labor-intensive, but the payoff is writing that flows easily and communicates directly.
What else?
Ultimately, concision is a form of respect. Wordy prose forces readers to wade through clutter; concise writing delivers meaning swiftly and clearly.
Bizup and Williams remind us that cutting excess doesn’t strip writing of depth—it sharpens it.
Concision, then, is not about stripping away richness or nuance but about ensuring that every word earns its place on the page.
In the end, readers don’t praise a piece of writing because it used the most words, but because it delivered the most meaning in the fewest.
… and that’s the grace Bizup and Williams want every writer like you to achieve.
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Wednesdays: Write with the Pen of the Masters”
Who doesn’t find content writing to be a skill that requires a lot of practice and effort?
In fact, many people may even find copywriting very intimidating.
However, you can be a good writer as long as you have the right tools. You won’t always get things right the first time, but with enough time and practice, you’ll get the hang of it!
When you write copy for any brand or for your company, your aim is to make an impact and…
… to get people to remember.
Getting people to remember means getting consumers to buy your product or avail of your service.
… and when you get your content to deliver the results you want, THAT is great copy!
Every Wednesday, we publish content based on tips and insights from the masters of content writing, copywriting, and storytelling.
Become more familiar with ways to write great copy that helps you gain ROI from your efforts, drive profitability, and achieve your business goals.
Learn time-tested tactics that better capture the attention of your target audience, and maximize the benefits of great copywriting.
Hope you find this week’s insights interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Wednesday’s “Write with the Pen of the Masters!”
Cheers,
Dyane Diasanta
Senior Content Writer
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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