Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less

Smart brevity is an approach to writing that encourages writers to use fewer words and be more selective in how they present their ideas. The authors state that smart brevity “guides you into saying a lot more with a lot less—and that is its greatest power” (13). They contend that this approach is the antidote to what they refer to as “the fog of words” in the digital age, which can cause problems for writers trying to communicate their ideas and generally be heard.

Word salad is the product that emerges when writers use a roundabout way of getting to their point, if there is a point at all. Usually, word salad involves wordiness and euphemism. The authors argue that word salad tends to bury the writer’s message and are usually the result of a writer trying to sound intelligent to the reader. Most times, however, word salad deters readers whether they think the writer is intelligent or not.

This journalism term refers to any aspects of writing that lose the reader’s interest. Kick-outs include the following: “Too much text. Too much jargon. Too many choices. Long video” (59). Writers should strive to eliminate kick-outs while drafting and revising.