C’s of StyleIt has often been said

there’s so much to be readyou never can cram all those thoughts in your head.

So the writer who breedsMore words than he needs

is making a chore for the reader who readsThat’s why my belief isthe briefer the brief is

the greater the sigh of the reader’s relief is.-Dr. Seuss

C #1: CUT

Cut repetition and wordiness

• Say something only once and in the best place

• Ex: The Lilly Library contains many rare books. The books in the library are carefully preserved. The library also houses a manuscript collection.

• The Lilly Library carefully preserves many rare books and manuscripts.

Cut formulaic phrases

• These wordy phrases should be replaced with shorter phrases– At the present time– At this point in time today– In this day and age– Last but not least finally– Are of the opinion that believe– Have the ability to can– Because of the fact that– Due to the fact that because– In spite of the fact that although

Cut references to intentions

• In this essay I will tell you

• In conclusion, I have demonstrated

• What I want to say here is

• As stated in the previous paragraph

• YUCK!

Cut redundancy

• Trim words that say the same thing

• Ex: basic essentials, true facts, circle around, final completion, each and every, etc.

• PICK ONE!

Cut unnecessary quotes

• Use ellipses (…) to condense quotations, or just pick the most important part.

• Ex: Film critic Elvis Mitchell says that the Harry Potter movies are “The most awaited movies of the year that have a dreary literal-minded competence, following the letter of the law as laid down by it’s author” in it’s close portrayal of the book.

• Mitchell says that the movies suffer from “a dreary, literal-minded competence” in it’s close portrayal of the book.