In college, two of my favorite professors were often critical of students’ writing. They’d say, perhaps demand: “Get to the point. Explain why. Don’t drift.”
At the time, I thought this was great advice. I still do.
Yet, I picked up my credit card bill the other day and didn’t really understand why there was so much writing on the back. Ironically, I think the credit card industry would say that its statements have been cleaned up. While they may be better, they’re still quite verbose and confusing.
This made me think about some of the other things I read – books, articles, annual reports, and blogs. After scanning a few of these, I’m starting to think that most writing is verbose.
To writers: I encourage you to take the advice of my two professors. Tell me what you think and why in as few words as possible.
I love reading (which wasn’t always true). But we’re in a world where more thoughts, ideas, and opinions are being shared and exchanged than ever before.
I’d like to consume as many of these as I can. But I think it’s on the writers to make this easier.
Maybe credit card companies and public companies in general (e.g. annual reports) have to include a lot of “details” because of regulatory requirements.
But to the rest of the world: Get to the point. Explain why. Don’t drift.