Keep It Super Simple
One of the most important lessons I’ve ever learned—in writing
and in life—is that less is more.
In my first poetry classes, anxious to sound literary, I stuffed
my writing with odd metaphors, unusual words, and tangled sentences, as though
my sole purpose was to confuse my reader. Then I was assigned a terrifying
project: Cut out every third word of my poems.
At first I resented this assignment (didn’t my professor
know how hard I’d worked on my drafts?), but I was ultimately shocked—and
humbled—to see how such a drastic revision could improve my writing.
Befriending the delete key allowed me to weed out superfluous words (or lines
or even stanzas) from my poems to create more room for what was truly
important.
I relearned this lesson four years later while training to
receive my certificate in teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL).
Whenever my TEFL trainer observed me teach, she’d write the letters KISS on my report. It wasn’t as cutesy
as it sounds; KISS stood for Keep it super simple, a reminder to
avoid asking my beginning English students convoluted questions such as “Would
anyone in the room maybe be willing to read page 34?” Far better were simple,
concise requests: “Maria, please read page 34.” Again, simplifying my words
helped my meaning shine through.
1. Edit
ruthlessly, and fear not the delete key. Always be on the lookout for
places to cut out extra words or phrases.
Wordy: It has been stated by Jackson (2008), in his study, that most
students at the high school level agree and concur that they are assigned to do
more homework than they like.
Revised: Jackson (2008) stated that
most high school students believe they receive too much homework.
2. Be wary
of conjugations of the verb to be,
which tend to weigh down sentences.
Wordy: There are many reasons that politicians have suggested to support universal
health care.
Revised: Politicians have suggested many reasons to support universal
health care.
Wordy: It was the
accreditation report that convinced the managers to rethink company policies.
Revised: The accreditation report convinced the managers to rethink
company policies.
3. Use simple
words and sentence structures. Remember: Simple language is the clearest
way to express complex ideas.
Wordy: The hospital is running into a panoply of quandaries due to
envisaged removals from next year’s budget
allocations.
Revised: The hospital faces many problems due to next year’s budget cuts.
Wordy: Beginning in 2007, employees expressed concerns about
transparency in the company, to which the company responded by beginning to
hold quarterly town hall meetings.
Revised: In response to employees’
concerns about transparency, the company began holding quarterly town hall
meetings in 2007.
Give these tips and tricks a try, and remember: Keep it super simple!
Kayla Skarbakka, Writing Instructor & Coordinator of International Writing Instruction and Support, is inspired by Walden students' drive to pursue their educational and career goals. She earned her certificate in teaching English as a foreign language in Peru.
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