Revise before Sending

Revision is your opportunity to make sure your document does what you want it to do. This is the process by which you hone your work so that it communicates clearly what you mean and is easy to read and understand. The best-written documents are revised.

Don’t revise immediately after you finish writing. Most of us need to let a first draft “cool off” before we can objectively evaluate what’s wrong with it.

• Cut. Cut. Cut.
• Look at every sentence and eliminate redundancies.
• Replace vague phrases and words with concrete ones.
• Delete adjectives and adverbs.
• Eliminate passive voice. Passive voice is the use of the verb “to be.” Where appropriate, turn passive sentences into active ones. Active voice is more direct and concise.

Cut the fat

Here are some other common circumlocutions that can be compressed into just one word:

Replace:
· the reason for
· for the reason that
· owing/due to the fact
· in light of the fact that
· considering the fact
· on the grounds that
· this is why

with: because, since, why

Replace:
· on the occasion of
· in a situation in which
· under circumstances in which

with: when

Replace:
· as regards
· in reference to
· with regard to
· concerning the matter of

with: about

Replace:
· it is crucial that
· it is necessary that
· it is important that

with: must, should

Replace:
· is able to
· has the opportunity to
· has the capacity for
· has the ability to

with: can

Replace:
· it is possible that
· it could happen that
· the possibility exists for

with: may, might, could