omit needless words

Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.

3 thoughts on “omit needless words”

  1. you put meaningless in quotes, though it’s not used in the post at all.

    unnecessary = meaningless ?

    if the words gives the writing “beauty” aren’t they necessary?

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