I’ve been on a mission to slim down my writing lately, and I’ve picked up some killer tricks that don’t sacrifice the good stuff. With a word count tool like Count My Words, it’s easy to see where you’re overdoing it. Here’s my top 5: First, ditch filler words—“just,” “really,” “very”—they sneak in everywhere. Second, swap long phrases for punchy ones; “due to the fact that” becomes “because.” Third, kill adverbs when you can—say “ran fast” as “sprinted.” It’s like pruning a tree—cut the dead weight, and it thrives.
Fourth, tighten up sentences. I turned a 25-word monster into 15 by cutting fluff, and it hit harder. Fifth, watch for repeats—say it once and move on. I tested this on a 600-word draft, shaved off 100 words, and the reading time dropped from 3 to 2.5 minutes—better for SEO and readers. Less is more, especially online where attention spans are short. Try these next time you’re editing; you’ll be amazed how crisp your writing gets without losing its soul!
Posted on February 15, 2025