I’ve been reminded while revising my next book that great writing eliminates all unnecessary words. I thought I’d been following the rule, but every page my editor sends back to me makes it clear that I need a refresher course.
Here are some examples of the edits, some more needlessly-wordy than others, all of which benefited from paring down the sentence to only its most necessary words.
The better your academic performance, the more college options you're going to have.
The better your academic performance, the more college options you will have.
All of those opportunities will be there waiting for you to take advantage of them and make your education what you want it to be.
All those opportunities to focus your attention lay ahead.
You’re more likely to enjoy your classes and teachers, to do better in school, and to be excited about the idea of learning in college.
You’re more likely to enjoy your classes and teachers, do better in school, and be excited about the idea of learning in college.
In my experience, that study says more about the students than it does about the counselors.
I think the study says more about students than it does about counselors.
Those kids work hard and get good grades, too, but they do so more because of their own curiosity than they are a sense of competition to get into prestigious colleges.
Those kids work hard and get good grades, too, but they do so because of their own curiosity, not an agenda to get into prestigious colleges.
College is going to give you the chance to completely take charge of your own education.
College will give you the chance to completely take charge of your own education.
Here’s a past post I wrote highlighting a book that teaches the importance of this skill. I think it’s clear that it’s time for me to re-read it.