Unnecessary words: try not to waste valuable space by including unnecessary words. Instead, aim for clarity, brevity and impact. Always.
I want to address something which often confuses people. When you grasp the idea, it can make your writing more succinct and reduce ‘waste’ (i.e. unnecessary words).
A quick example:
‘If John should walk, he will be late.’
How about this…
‘Should John walk, he will be late.’
Most people don’t realise that sentences can be written in this form. But I think it reads far more succinctly and, like I say, does away with waste, which you should always strive for. Every word on a page should earn its right to be there.
Here’s another example:
‘If I had known that, I would not have gone.’
I prefer the same thing written like this:
‘Had I known that, I would not have gone.’
Of course, how you write should…
a) sit comfortably with you (after all, it’s your work and your name on it); and
b) express your message as clearly and succinctly as possible
Remember: clarity, brevity, impact. Always.
Good luck with your writing!