How to Avoid Overwriting and Wordiness
Are you prone to overwriting and wordiness? You’re not alone. Many writers – especially those just starting out – find themselves using elaborate language or long-winded sentences to express simple ideas. But a few small changes can make a big difference. In this post, we’ll explain what overwriting and wordiness are and how you can avoid both through the following steps:
- Planning your writing
- Avoiding overly complex language
- Cutting excessive adjectives
- Using strong verbs
- Being wary of similes and metaphors
- Varying sentence structure
- Avoiding repetition
- Reviewing your work
What Is Overwriting?
Overwriting happens when your writing becomes overly ornate or unnecessarily detailed. It often includes an excess of flowery language, literary devices such as similes and metaphors, or long, dense sentences that require multiple re-readings.
For example, if you were writing a blog post about books, an overwritten sentence might look like this:
While my passion for the written word is unparalleled, my quest for the most exceptional works of literature has led me to venture beyond the boundaries of the known universe, exploring every corner of the multiverse in pursuit of the most mind-boggling and heart-wrenching tales ever conceived by the human mind.
You might be tempted to showcase your vocabulary, but don’t fall into the trap of overwriting. It can obscure your message, exhaust your reader, and come across as contrived. In fact, it might cause your audience to skim through your writing or stop reading altogether.
What Is Wordiness?
Wordiness occurs when a sentence contains unnecessary words that can be removed or replaced without affecting its meaning or grammar.
Here’s an example of a wordy sentence:
In light of the fact that there is a substantial amount of evidence to support the notion that regular exercise is beneficial for overall health and well-being, it would be prudent for individuals to make a concerted effort to incorporate physical activity into their daily routines.
You should always aim to write in a clear and concise way. Prioritise being clear over being clever. If a sentence is too long – or requires a dictionary to understand – you risk losing your reader.
Signs of Overwriting and Wordiness
There is often an overlap between overwriting and wordiness. It is important to evaluate your writing to check if you have developed any habits leading to overwriting or wordiness. Here are a few key signs you may need to change how you approach your work:
- Your writing lacks clarity or focus. You include everything you know on a topic, but it’s unclear how it supports your main point – and you often go off on tangents.
- You frequently exceed word counts. Word limits are there for a reason. Long prose can tire readers and diminish engagement.
- You rely on complex or technical language when simpler phrasing would be easier to follow.
- You overuse clichés and grease-slide phrases such as “but wait… there’s more!”
- You include too many filler words such as “basically,” “essentially,” or “at the end of the day.” At the end of the day, these basically add, well, nothing impactful to your writing.
- You overload your sentences with adjectives and adverbs (also known as purple prose). This weakens your message instead of enhancing it.
How to Avoid Overwriting and Wordiness
There are a number of ways to tackle overwriting and wordiness in your writing:
1. Plan Your Writing
Before you start writing, create an outline for your piece. You can use this step to organize your thoughts. Decide what your main points will be and come up with a clear structure.
If you go into something with a plan, you are less likely to lose focus and go off on tangents. Sticking to an outline can help you stay on topic and avoid unnecessary detours.
2. Avoid Overly Complex Language
You may think it’s impressive to use complex words or jargon in your writing, but readers may lose focus, or give up reading entirely, if they have to spend more time checking the dictionary than reading your post.
Complex language is appropriate in some contexts – for example, in medical writing – but in most cases, plain English is the best way to ensure your message is clear and easily understood. Always consider who your audience is and what language they will be most comfortable with.
3. Cut Excessive Adjectives
When you use too many over-the-top adjectives and intensifiers such as “really,” “very,” “amazing,” or “awesome,” you start to dilute your message. Used sparingly, a carefully chosen adjective can add impact and help you convey a more vivid image. But used excessively, adjectives can become a distraction and confuse the reader.
When you include an adjective, try to think about what it is adding to your message. For example, instead of giving a generic statement, such as “This platform is really good,” try to identify what exactly it is the platform does well. It may be that “The platform is dependable because it offers performance and user-friendly features.” In other words, let the facts do the work.
4. Use Strong Verbs
Writers often rely on weak verb–adverb pairs, which can be replaced with stronger, more precise verbs. For example, instead of saying a certain sales technique “gets better results,” you could specify that it “improves conversions.” Or, instead of saying that a person “talks passionately” about being a vegetarian, you could say that they “advocate” or “champion” vegetarianism.
These verbs are more vivid, more efficient, and more persuasive – especially in marketing copy, blog intros, and calls to action. When editing, look for places where a single verb would be effective.
5. Be Wary of Similes and Metaphors
It can be tempting to add similes and metaphors to illustrate an anecdote or explain a concept, but they can often lead to confusion. Because figurative language is subjective, it may distract from your message, especially if readers have to stop and decode what you’re trying to say.
For example, instead of writing, “Mental health is an intricate spider’s web that can unravel like an old tapestry,” try simplifying it. For instance: “Mental health is a complex matter. Our well-being can be impacted by any number of factors.” Simpler language keeps your point clear and accessible.
6. Vary Sentence Structure
While avoiding overly long sentences is important, relying solely on short, choppy ones can make your writing feel flat. Mixing up your sentence lengths and structures adds rhythm and flow, which makes your content easier to read and more engaging. For example, in a product description or blog post, pairing a short, punchy sentence with a longer explanatory one can help hold your reader’s attention and improve scannability.
7. Avoid Repetition
When writing, it’s crucial to avoid repetition. To keep your content engaging, every sentence should offer new information. Review your work carefully and eliminate redundancies to ensure your message is clear and concise. Trust the reader to follow your argument without overexplaining. And if you find yourself reusing the same words or phrases, use a thesaurus or rephrase the sentence to maintain variety and flow.
8. Review Your Work
Always proofread and edit your work. Leave yourself some time to step back from your writing so you can return with a fresh perspective. With distance, you’ll find it easier to spot errors, awkward phrasing, and sections that need tightening. Make a habit of reading your work aloud to identify anything that feels clunky or unclear. And as the saying goes, practice makes perfect. The more you review and revise your writing, the more naturally concise and polished it will become.
Learn to Write Clearly and Concisely
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