BEBRIEF

 

Empty introductions, hedges and modifiers are a few of the enemies ofbrevity. Maybe your readers could enjoy long-winded beginnings if they hadthe time, but hey, the light’s green. Watch out for:

 

1.Empty Introductions

 

People often tack empty introductions to their points, perhaps because theyfear that their point will not be well received. Unfortunately, vacuousintroductory phrases are more likely to annoy than to placate your reader.

 

Even worse, these phrases imply that you are insecure or uncertain of yourpoint.

 

Avoid introductions like these: the truth is that it seems to me apparently it is obvious that as I recall the fact is that I also want to say that and all their meaningless cousins.

 

2. Hedges and Modifiers

 

We also fatten up our work by hedging our points with namby-pamby modifierslike: very pretty little rather almost likely more or less seemingly somewhat kind of mostly it would seem in some respects for the most part apparently for all intents and purposes What’s wrong with hedges and modifiers? They block your points. If you aremaking a valid point clearly, then it is "apparent" "for all intents andpurposes." As for words like "very" and "little", notice as you readwhether they really add anything to your comprehension, other than anuncomfortable sense that the writer is "protesting too much."

 

Follow the advice of Strunk and White in their classic Elements of Style:“Cut! Cut! Cut!”.