Using Brevity in our Writing
Posted: Monday, January 17, 2011
by David Tanguay
“To get the right word in the right place is a rare achievement. To condense the diffused light of a page of thought into the luminous flash of a single sentence, is worthy to rank as a prize composition just by itself...Anybody can have ideas--the difficulty is to express them without squandering a quire of paper on an idea that ought to be reduced to one glittering paragraph.” Mark Twain
“Be sincere; be brief; be seated.” Franklin D. Roosevelt
Yes men like the late President Franklin Roosevelt would hold the attention of those who were listening to him for every word had meaning in them.
In addition, Abraham Lincoln with his Gettysburg address:
On this date (November 19) in 1863, Abraham Lincoln gave perhaps the greatest speech in American History, the Gettysburg Address. The text of the speech is short, less than 300 words, a fitting reminder to contemporary politicians that, sometimes, the most succinct speeches are the most meaningful.
Perhaps the brevity of Lincoln’s remarks can be explained by the only inaccuracy in the Gettysburg Address: namely the assertion that “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here….” In Lincoln’s view, it was the actions of the brave soldiers who fought rather than his rhetoric, which conveyed the appropriate message.
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More commentsGreat topic to bring up...at least for me. When I started interviewing people on the radio it was foreign to me--another world so to speak as I was starting a new "career" in a way. Before starting I asked a reporter friend of mine if she had any advice for radio/TV interviewing and she said something that I TRY TO REMEMBER all the time. She said get a good guest, ask a short meaningful question, and shut up. People do not want to hear the interviewer they want to hear the content. It is hard for me to be brief but I agree it is the way to go...
StevePlease log in to respond to this comment.Thank you StevePlease log in to respond to this comment.
This is a must, i often say to my family members, if you have to say something, just let it out, don't just mumble (of course, there are limits and situations where silence is better choice), it will be a habit and the habit will imprison them.
"Be sincere; be brief; be seated." Franklin D. Roosevelt
This is gold, especially the third one, be seated, so much meaning!Please log in to respond to this comment.Thank you Hyun SoungPlease log in to respond to this comment.
I agree with you completely. When I hear strong, positive words in a short speech, I understand it better and it really catches my attention. Great article! I may take your advice with some of my own writing, in fact.
Thanks for sharing,
-SydneyPlease log in to respond to this comment.
A great BRIEF article David and I enjoyed it. I will be brief also and just try to get in my 10 words.Please log in to respond to this comment.Thank you for commenting JoelPlease log in to respond to this comment.
Excellent, David. Something I try for, and seldom really accomplish in my writing, or speech, for that matter.Please log in to respond to this comment.Thank you JoycePlease log in to respond to this comment.
I enjoyed reading David's article and agree with him wholeheartedly -- politicians should learn from past successful, memorable speeches.Please log in to respond to this comment.Thank you LisaPlease log in to respond to this comment.
I shall atempt to comply with your desire for brevity, in my next article; and keep the word count below 500. But I'm afraid it's not in my writing nature to continue that on any regular basis----LOL- Thanks David- Always- EllaPlease log in to respond to this comment.Thank you for commenting Ella, I'm not all against those who write long articles.Please log in to respond to this comment.
Too hard to fool people in short, honest sentences. If they were required by law to tell the truth there would be a lot less said. Maybe nothing at all.:-)Please log in to respond to this comment.Now that was a funny comment Dave L--- loved it...probably true...Please log in to respond to this comment.Thank you for commenting StevePlease log in to respond to this comment.Yeah, you make a good point here DavidPlease log in to respond to this comment.
Great quotes, great article, David. I find it very hard to really crystallize what I'm saying. I really admire people who can do it.Please log in to respond to this comment.Thank you for commenting JenniferPlease log in to respond to this comment.
Thanks for you well stated and accurate 'lesson'Please log in to respond to this comment.Thank you JackPlease log in to respond to this comment.
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