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Why You Need to Learn the Art of Saying More With Fewer Words
Less is rarely less when it comes to great writing
Pick up a paper and pen. (Yes, really. You came here to learn something, didn’t you?)
Write a five-syllable phrase that introduces you.
Beneath that, write a seven-syllable phrase sharing something useful to me. (Because your writing should always be useful or entertaining.)
Beneath that you get another five syllables to explain the importance of line two.
And just like that, you wrote a haiku that can become your next story if you let it. Do a happy dance; that shit is not easy. If you didn’t quite get there yet, no worries, keep at it until your words inspire that dance.
(Mine is at the end of this story if you’re curious.)
Haiku has been known for centuries as one of the sparsest forms of poetry, designed to narrow the focus and showcase the deepest essence of the topic. So, congratulations if you wrote your first one.
Write from a place of power
The real secret of producing quality writing, be it a haiku, novel, or a blog post, lies in your ability to coerce the least number of words into the most powerful reader experience.
Approach writing like bomb building. If you could create a tiny bomb capable of generating an enormous explosion, you’d be a genius at your work.
That’s the goal of a writer — impacting the reader with words fashioned to ignite an explosion.
Dr. Seuss
The best example I can give you is Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Suess. He once said, “So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.”
Think of the power of his writing — and he was writing for children. Pick your favorite (or try one you’ve never read) and read it with nothing in mind but the quality of the writing. You will find it clear, concise, descriptive, and melodic, all while weaving sometimes extensive plots and usually laced with ideas about proper…
