By Hank Wieland
Write it tight? Right.
And be direct? Correct.
Using today’s many communications channels, your target audiences are pressed for time, easily distracted and impatient.
Adjust your writing to gain reader interest. Keep your sentences short and direct. Yes, apply Journalism 101 and cover Who, What, When, Where, Why and How … but don’t be wordy, and occasionally try to be clever, creative or catchy.
One useful approach is to employ headline writing techniques to bring alive your lead sentence, keeping it brief and smart. Consider a recent Washington Post review of the baseball movie about the career of Jackie Robinson. The head: ‘42’ Hits a Triple. Consider how to apply its style to your opening sentences.
Also, don’t forget the editing step to delete unnecessary words and trite phrases. Here are some examples:
You know what to do … just remember, less is more in today’s messaging.
