http://lanyrd.com/2014/society-for-technical-communication/sctyqk (STC14 Summit session page on Lanyrd) After learning the "Write Tight(er)" technique (Part 1), put it into practice in this workshop. Bring examples of the kind of writing you do, and we’ll transform them!

1. Write
Tight
(er)
Marcia Riefer Johnston
@MarciaRJohnston
#STC14
Part 2:
Using the Technique

2. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
YOUR
WORDS
HERE

3. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
weak be-verbs (is, was, were, will be, have been, am, are)
-ly words (& other vapid adverbs)
very, such, so (& other empty intensifiers)
not, no (& other negative words)
the fact that
just
begin to, try to, tend to, in order to
period of time
in light of, in spite of, in terms of (& of in general)
proverbial
different (as in many different, 36 different)
particular
verbiage
any other verbiage or unneeded words that you can pitch
Dump these words!*
*unless you need them

4. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

5. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Word
count
Cost to
translate into
1 language 25 languages
x 10,000
sentences
(Harry Potter
novel)
BEFORE Your original text here with
more words than you need. 10 $2.50 $62.50 $625,000.00
AFTER Your tighter text here. 4 $1.00 $25.00 $250,000.00
Savings 60% $1.50 $37.50 $375,000.00
Spreadsheet available on request.

6. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

7. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

8. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

9. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

10. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

11. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

12. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

13. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

14. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

15. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

16. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

17. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Story time

18. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Story time
Water dispenser

19. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Story time
Water dispenser
Buttons

20. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Story time
Water dispenser
Buttons
Quick reference

21. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Looks easy enough.

22. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Concise = good
... right?

23. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Ready for a video?

24. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Ready for a video?
(You’ll have to pretend.)

25. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Hey, Rick, would you bring me a glass of room-temperature water?

26. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Hey, Rick, would you bring me a glass of room-temperature water?
Rick
(Smart guy!)

27. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Hey, Rick, would you bring me a glass of room-temperature water?
GlassRick
(Smart guy!)

28. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Hey, Rick, would you bring me a glass of room-temperature water?
GlassRick
(Smart guy!)
Instructions

29. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Hey, Rick, would you bring me a glass of room-temperature water?
GlassRick
(Smart guy!)
Instructions Button

30. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Hey, Rick, would you bring me a glass of room-temperature water?
GlassRick
(Smart guy!)
Instructions Button Water

31. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Hey, Rick, would you bring me a glass of room-temperature water?
DumpGlassRick
(Smart guy!)
Instructions Button Water

32. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Hey, Rick, would you bring me a glass of room-temperature water?
DumpGlassRick
(Smart guy!)
Instructions Button Water
Read again

33. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Hey, Rick, would you bring me a glass of room-temperature water?
DumpGlassRick
(Smart guy!)
Instructions Button Water
Read again Exasperation

34. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Hey, Rick, would you bring me a glass of room-temperature water?
DumpGlassRick
(Smart guy!)
Instructions Button Water
Read again Exasperation Try again

35. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Hey, Rick, would you bring me a glass of room-temperature water?
DumpGlassRick
(Smart guy!)
Instructions Button Water
Read again Exasperation Try again Try again

36. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Hey, Rick, would you bring me a glass of room-temperature water?
Dump again
DumpGlassRick
(Smart guy!)
Instructions Button Water
Read again Exasperation Try again Try again

37. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
Hey, Rick, would you bring me a glass of room-temperature water?
Dump again
DumpGlassRick
(Smart guy!)
Instructions Button Water
Read again Exasperation Try again Try again Try again

38. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

39. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

40. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
If conciseness doesn’t fix it,
change what you’re saying.
@MarciaRJohnston #STC14

41. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

42. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
For more on concise writing
and much, much more

43. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
For more on concise writing
and much, much more

44. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
For more on concise writing
and much, much more

45. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
For more on concise writing
and much, much more
powerful

46. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
For more on concise writing
and much, much more
powerful

47. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com
For more on concise writing
and much, much more
“I’ve longed for a book on writing
to recommend to clients and
colleagues … and this is it!”
—Kristina Halvorson
powerful

48. #STC14 @MarciaRJohnston Write Tight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com

49. #spectrum14 WriteTight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com @MarciaRJohnston
Think
this is
small?

50. #spectrum14 WriteTight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com @MarciaRJohnston
Think
this is
small?

51. #spectrum14 WriteTight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com @MarciaRJohnston
Think
this is
small?

52. #spectrum14 WriteTight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com @MarciaRJohnston
Think
this is
small?

53. #spectrum14 WriteTight(er) HowToWriteEverything.com @MarciaRJohnston
Think
this is
small?