6 Tips for Reducing your Word Count
By: Flynn Hannan
Tags: Writers On Medium, Writing Tips, Writing, Writing Life, Writers Life

Whether you’re a professional or amateur writer, you should know how to write as efficiently as possible. One of the best ways to attain efficient writing is to set a word limit for yourself. By doing so, your writing will have less fluff, and you’ll get to the heart of the matter. This is easier said than done, though. So you will need a set strategy to follow. Here are 6 Tips for reducing your word count.

1. Keep your writing short and concise

If you want to reduce your word count, then you should make your writing as short and concise as possible. If your writing is too flowery or overly long, your readers might get annoyed or impatient. So it is best that you use clear and straightforward language. This will allow you to convey your message more effectively, without unnecessary words getting in the way.

2. Cut out adverbs

Adverbs are basically word modifiers. They describe a variety of words such as verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, and even entire sentences. They often end in –ly, although some words do look like their adjective counterparts.

While adverbs are useful for making your writing more descriptive, there is a chance you might overdo it. If you want your writing to be as efficient and purposeful as possible, then you should minimize your adverb usage. Adverbs could be useful in small doses, but using them in every sentence will only bog down your writing.

3. Avoid jargon

Jargons are technical words that are used for certain trades or professions. While they are useful for specific reasons, like textbooks or instructional manuals you should avoid using them for other types of writing. Not everyone is familiar with specific jargon, and if you use them, you’ll just end up confusing your readers. If you do take the time to elaborate on the jargon, then you are just wasting valuable time and adding unnecessary content in your writing. So just to be safe, it is best that you avoid using jargon entirely.

4. Avoid repetitions

When you write your sentences, you should be aware of repetitions. Remember that you have a set word limit for yourself, so make every word count. Avoid using the same word over and over again. Repetitions could come in various forms. You could repeat a specific word a lot of times, or you could use a phrase or topic multiple times during a paragraph. Readers will notice this pattern right away, and they might consider your work as redundant.

5. Cut out filler words

If you want to reduce your word count, you should cut out filler words. They are short and unnecessary words or phrases that are used to fill in pauses during the writing process. Words like really, seriously, some, rather, perhaps, and maybe don’t add anything to the sentence. Instead, it just contributes to the fluff, and makes it difficult for you to get to the heart of the matter.

6. Trim down your sentences after every writing session

After each writing session, you should take the time to trim down your sentences even further. During the writing process, it could be difficult to keep tabs of your word limit. You might be going full blast on an article, and then find out that you are a thousand words over the limit. So as a precaution, make it a habit to double check your work after every writing session.

Conclusion

If you want to write as effectively and efficiently as possible, it always to have a set strategy. By doing so, you will be able to write, without any wasted words or effort. With these tips, you’ll be able to stay within your word limit without any fuss.

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