Short, not shallow

The greatest free gift you can give others — and yourself — is time, Jim writes.

Why it matters: An easy, universally applicable way to deliver this gift is to just stop. Just stop sending hazy notes. Just stop hiding soggy thinking in a vomit of words. Just stop writing and talking for yourself.

 Our new book, “Smart Brevity,” will help you sharpen and shorten how you write and talk. These tips will help you be heard — whether you’re a student, parent, teacher, manager or leader:

Tip 1: Stop being selfish! It is self-indulgent to force me to sort through hundreds of words to figure out what you’re trying to tell me.

Long-windedness and meandering are fine in fiction and poetry — but terrible for daily life.

Think about your audience — not yourself.

Tip 2: Grab me! Before you write anything for Twitter — or text your boss or friend group — think about the most important thing you want them to know. Then distill it into one sentence.

The first sentence of anything you write should include the most essential info, using as few words as possible: Here is the one thing I need you to know.

Tip 3: Write like a human! Most of us are fairly normal in conversation. But when we sit down to write, we try to sound like Walt Whitman or a Harvard professor.

Authenticity and simplicity are huge winners in this era of noise.

Stop using SAT words, or any word you would never use at a bar.

Showing off words makes people want to throw something at you — not admire you.

Tip 4: Keep it simple! Short, tight words and sentences are always winners. Subject. Verb. Object.

You would never call a banana “an elongated yellow fruit,” or say “prevaricate” when a friend is lying.

Tip 5: Just stop! Use as few words, sentences and paragraphs as possible. Then stop.

Remember: The data shows you’ll be lucky to keep your reader for 200 words. So why waste time?

The big picture: You can train your mind to think and communicate more crisply. Watch how your ideas start to stick — and get acted on — when you do.

Get “Smart Brevity.” Proceeds go to Axios newsroom fellowships for early-career journalists from underrepresented backgrounds.

 Πηγή: axios.com