Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less

“We check our phones 344-plus times each day—once every 4 minutes, at least. Behavioral research—and our own BS detectors—show we underreport our true usage.”

The authors use these statistics to support their larger point, namely that communication patterns have changed over time, specifically with regard to how people receive and consume information. The authors follow a similar pattern throughout the book, using memorable data to provide validity to a previously made claim. This approach to presenting an argument also aligns with the authors’ later advice to back up “the Big Thought” with statistics or stories.

“Our solution to the fog of words is enticing people to produce and consume fewer of them—far fewer.”

The “fog of words” is an extension of the sense of overwhelm in relation to content production presented in Quote 1. The advice here, which introduces the theme of Cutting Through the Noise With Punchier Writing, is somewhat counterintuitive. In order to feel heard, most people tend to use more words; however, the authors argue that adding to the word fog will have less of an impact than using fewer words that have been carefully chosen to present an idea with clarity and directness.

“If you see everything, you remember nothing.”

This pithy statement, presented as its own paragraph, highlights The Business Benefits of Smart Brevity. It refers to the authors’ realization as they investigated why powerful companies were requesting their assistance with communications. The authors, who are also journalists, soon realized that the companies, much like everyone else, were struggling with “word fog.” Employees were inundated with texts, emails, and other messages, which left them unable to identify key information.

“If you think about serving your audience first—colleagues, students, parishioners, friends—and not your own ego, you will naturally cut down on waste. This might seem simple, but it’s where most people go off the rails. We tend to think too much about what we want to say versus what others need to hear.”

Acknowledging the needs of the audience is a recurring command throughout the book. Here, the authors point to a common flaw in writing for a wider audience, namely that writers tend to prioritize their own perspective while overlooking what the reader is really after. The authors recognize that this common mistake can be overcome by checking one’s ego before composing any kind of written communication.

“All you can do is the next right thing.”

The quote is attributed to VandeHei’s pastor, David Glade. It is used in this chapter as an example of the power of carefully chosen words that are precise and direct. The pastor is providing an answer to a deep, existential question posed to him by one of his children. Instead of using the question to launch into a long-winded answer that would have confounded the boy, the pastor replied with something short and memorable yet meaningful.

“Nowhere do we disguise, distort and deflect our true feelings more than when giving and getting feedback. Very few people have the confidence to be direct. We tend to dance around tough-but-necessary conversations.”

The authors consistently argue that a direct approach is best, even when offering negative feedback. Mincing words only dilutes the message and gives the impression that the writer of those words lacks the courage of their convictions. This assertion is accompanied, like many others, with a specific before-and-after example.

“Every word is a battle for additional time and attention.”

In a world where readers are increasingly inundated with words, those seeking to stand out among the masses must fine-tune their strategy. Cutting Through the Noise With Punchier Writing is essential to being heard. The advice here emphasizes the stakes that writers face, signaling that there is no time to waste on filler words or unnecessary ornamentation of written communications.

“The Axios audience team found that roughly 6 words is the optimal subject line for emails—short enough to show all words in a mobile phone format.”

Since most readers tend to scan digital content, a premium is established for a precise and effective email subject line. The authors assert here that six words should be the maximum limit. This recommendation is one of three bullet points that exemplify the Evidence-Based Justifications for Smart Brevity, each one relating to how the authors claim the human brain is wired.

“Write—then go back and kill at least half the words. It winds up sharper every time.”

This piece of advice comes from Eddie Berenbaum, president and cofounder of a realty company in Virginia, who received the advice from his high school English teacher. The authors share this revision strategy while using Berenbaum and his newsletter success to exemplify The Business Benefits of Smart Brevity. At the heart of the strategy is a challenge for the writer to trim words without losing the gist of the message, which aligns well with the main message of the book.

“The biggest flaw and time-wasting aspect of communications is overtalking or overwriting. Be monk-like in your discipline with words and Zen-like in the inner joy of saying more with less. This is not natural or easy but can be learned with practice.”

The authors consistently point out that developing a more precise writing style is not easy, especially as most people’s natural tendency is to do the opposite. By observing how widespread using too many words is, as well as comparing the use of fewer words with meditative practices, the authors comfort readers who may initially struggle to adopt their method. These lines in particular suggest, at once, that this skill takes discipline to acquire, but learning it will bring a sense of peace to operations that involve using words.

“A strong word is vivid, precise and—here’s the big one—something you can see. It’s something real. A weak word is abstract—you can’t see it, touch it, taste it, take a picture of it (like ‘process’ or ‘civics’).”

The authors recommend using concrete words that describe tangible things rather than concepts. Strong words help anchor written text in physical reality, which makes the message clearer and more likely to be recalled. This recommendation is in one of the book’s “Tips & Tricks” sections; examples follow, with the authors urging one-syllable nouns and verbs in particular.

“Part of the ‘smart’ in Smart Brevity lies in the selection. By paring down the selection for your reader, you’re increasing the chances they’ll hunger for more.”

This suggestion is in “Mike’s Tips & Tricks” list, following the story of how author Mike Allen came to embrace smart brevity in re-inventing popular newsletter for Axios. Allen leads into this tip with the line “You are the chef,” and though the metaphor becomes somewhat confused in the sentences that follow, the gist is once again that less is more. When the writer is more discerning about what to include, the reader is more likely to consume more of that writer’s work.

“It’s a word diet. Never easy. Requires discipline. But the results are a healthier and better-looking you.”

This suggestion also falls within “Mike’s Tips & Tricks” list. The authors use metaphor throughout the book. Here, the metaphor of a writer going on a “word diet” is meant to encompass both the challenge of learning smart brevity and its reward, that is, writing that is more effective and enticing.

“Newsletters are rocketing in popularity inside workplaces and journalism because they bring order and efficiency to complex businesses or topics.”

The authors advocate for the use of newsletters in companies, classrooms, and other places where there is a wider, general audience. Newsletters, which are growing rapidly in popularity, help keep everyone relevant in the loop. The authors observe elsewhere that when employees start feeling lost or disengaged, job dissatisfaction is likely to follow; therefore, keeping everyone informed is a wise managerial strategy and helps close any disconnects between management and employees.

“This is the dawn of remote idealistic employees demanding transparency and meaning at work. Culture will be as important as strategy or execution. Communications will be the central front in this revolution.”

The authors suggest that, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, workers have begun to value their work in different ways than they have in the past, including prioritizing meaning. Workers now want their work to mean something and to offer opportunities for personal growth. In light of this trend, companies must ensure that they meet these demands, and in the view of the authors, one of the best ways to do so is to effectively communicate what the company values and how the company is doing.

“The way most people write emails screams ‘blow me off.’ But you can entice more people to read your work faster or skim more effectively if you Smart Brevity it before hitting send.”

The authors turn a clever trick here by transforming smart brevity into a verb. They use this tactic for the chapter titles of Chapter 3. Smart brevity is not just a concept; it is also an action.

“A good meeting is usually determined before it starts.”

The quote offers another example of the kind of axiomatic language the authors urge writers to employ. It also serves as a key piece of advice that kicks off the chapter on how best to use smart brevity in meetings.

“Social media is the hand-to-hand combat of attention warfare.”

The use of metaphor here highlights a familiar tactic in the book. Here, the authors attribute the quest for attention on social media to fisticuffs, drawing out the idea that a reader’s attention is the sought-after prize that people fight to earn. This perception of why Cutting Through the Noise With Punchier Writing is so important relates to the authors’ specific professional aim as journalists who profit by gaining traction on social media platforms in particular.

“We’re all communicators now. Never have humans talked, tweeted or texted more words—and found it more difficult to be heard. So you better be good at it, or find someone who is.”

The quote highlights the stakes for adopting smart brevity as a writing strategy. Pointing to the universality of modern communications, which suggests that everyone is a participant, creates an added sense of urgency.

“Power no longer flows from position, seniority or money. It flows to those who master—or game—modern, short-burst communications on cable news or Twitter.”

The authors are speaking of politics in this quote, suggesting that the skill to communicate effectively to a wide audience is the most important skill a political hopeful can have in their toolkit. In some ways, the candidate who is the better communicator will get elected even if that person is not the most experienced or best candidate for the job.

“It is impossible to overdose on this: Your mission begins to sink in only when you’ve annoyed yourself with repetition.”

The authors recommend that the reader repeat their main point before concluding their written text, speech, or presentation. Repeating this main point is crucial in making sure that the message is heard to the point that the audience will remember it. While the authors discourage repetition of any other content, the authors urge readers not to fear repetition of the main point.

“If you’re not communicating inclusively, you’re not communicating effectively.”

The most effective communicator is able to reach the widest audience and does not inadvertently exclude portions of an audience. According to the authors, smart brevity ensures that communication is inclusive, thereby reaching the widest available audience.

“You can unite people around a common understanding of an important idea or update by writing in short, direct sentences and by losing the clever insider-isms or fancy clauses.”

The authors argue that smart brevity, because it is inclusive and accessible to a very broad audience, is a democratic form of writing. Stripping the language of its artifice makes it digestible for anyone. Making it easy for readers to grasp the main points quickly is helpful especially, for example, for second-language speakers and any readers with learning disabilities such as dyslexia.