Tips for Shortening Your Copy

I've been an editor for 7 years now. And here’s a truth bomb: 99% of editing advice online is generic. “Check grammar.” “Shorten sentences.” “Take a break.” Yes, but can we dig deeper? Today, I'm revealing the most underrated, unspoken editing hacks. No gatekeeping here: → Zoom Out to 50%: Sounds weird? Try it. Reducing text size makes formatting issues obvious. You’ll spot uneven line lengths and clunky layouts instantly. → Voice Note Test: Record yourself reading your draft aloud. Listen back without reading along. Awkward wording stands out painfully clear. → 'So What?' Technique: After every paragraph, ask “So what?” If there's no clear purpose—rephrase or remove. Keeps writing tight, engaging, purposeful. → One-Screen Rule: Keep each subheading's content fitting one screen. Scrolling mid-section causes reader fatigue. Break it down—short and crisp is key. → Color-Code Edits: Highlight different issues with different colors: 1) Pink for weak words (really, very, stuff). 2) Blue for unclear ideas. 3) Yellow for repetitive points. Visual cues speed up final revisions drastically. → Find-and-Replace for Punctuation: Search your commas, semicolons, dashes. Do you overuse them? Replace some with periods to punch up readability. → The Font Swap: Change your font temporarily. Your brain sees text as 'new' content. Mistakes and awkward phrasings jump right out. → Reverse Outline: Summarize each paragraph in 3-4 words. Is there logical flow? If not, rearrange or rework ruthlessly. Editing is surgery (don't question me). These hacks transform good content into remarkable content. But hey, I'm always learning. What's your top editing secret nobody talks about? Share it below 👇

3 questions I ask myself while editing my writing: ——— 1) “Does this edit express the same idea, but faster?” If you can say the same thing in fewer words, you’ve made your writing better. “It’s my ambition,” said philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, “to say in ten sentences what others say in a whole book.” Let this be your ambition, too. Fetishize brevity. ——— 2) “Is this word absolutely necessary?” Every syllable should be purposeful, necessary to make your point or create imagery or conjure emotion. Anything else is fat. Trim it as though you’re being paid a day’s wage per word. “Writing is one percent inspiration,” said actor Louise Brooks, “and 99 percent elimination.” Be draconian. Your severity will be rewarded. ——— 3) “Do I really like this?” As a writer, you are also your work’s first reader. So you must pay attention to how you feel about this word or that sentence—and you must trust yourself when something sounds strange to you, off. You must key in on your emotions, your gut, because if it doesn’t move you, chances are it won’t move someone else. You must affect yourself first. “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader,” said poet Robert Frost. “No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” This is true, of course. And it happens to be an excellent way to detect and omit needless passages. ——— Got an editing tip? Feel free to share it below! I'm currently writing an essay about editing for my newsletter and would love to include advice from my network. If I use your tip, I'll of course link back to your LinkedIn profile. Thanks!

On Giving Your Paper a Necessary Haircut (a.k.a. Responding to Reviewer Requests to Shorten Your Paper) Every so often, a reviewer will say something like: “This is a strong paper, but it needs to be significantly shortened.” And every time, my initial reaction is somewhere between sorrow & disbelief. I stare at the screen like my daughter’s tiny dog after his first haircut—despondent, slightly violated, & confused about what just happened. You think, But it was perfect just the way it was… wasn’t it? It probably wasn’t. Most of us write too much. We fall in love with our nuance and our careful theoretical framing. So yes, the initial reaction is sadness. But. Trimming a paper, when done well, can actually make it stronger, leaner, and far more impactful. Much like my daughter's little dog post-grooming, once the paper sheds some of its fluff, it’s tighter, more focused, and easier to follow. Which. Given that reviewers, editors, and readers alike are busy, making their job easier makes your work more publishable. So, what do you do when you're asked to cut? Step 1: Let go of the frustration. Seriously. Take a walk. Then come back ready to engage. It’s not personal. It’s structural. Your ideas aren’t being rejected—they’re just being asked to work a little harder in less space. Step 2: Be grateful you're still in the game. This is a revise-and-resubmit, not a desk reject. Cutting means you have a shot. Celebrate that. Many papers don’t make it this far. You did. Step 3: Cut with purpose. This is where the real craft begins. Shortening a paper isn’t just deleting words—it’s strategic rewriting. You need to preserve the argument and improve the clarity. A few suggestions: Prune your literature review. Ask yourself: does this reference directly serve your argument, or is it just showing you read widely? Keep only the citations that carry weight. Example: Instead of listing 12 studies on organizational identity, keep the 3 that set up your research gap. Streamline methods descriptions. If your audience knows the method, you don’t need three paragraphs explaining it. Trust your reader’s knowledge. Use tables and figures wisely. Sometimes, moving lengthy explanation into a figure can save you a page and make the story more readable. Reviewers love clarity. Watch redundancy. If you say something in the intro, do you need to say it again in the discussion and conclusion? Probably not. Get feedback. Give the paper to a colleague with a red pen and the challenge: Help me cut 1,000 words. They’ll be brutal, which is exactly what you need. Final thought: Short papers are the hardest ones to write. They require discipline, structure, and ruthless prioritization. But they often end up being your most cited and clearest work—because people actually finish reading them. So, yes. It’s a haircut. And yes, you may feel exposed at first. But the end result? Sleeker, smarter scholarship. Hang in there—and cut bravely. #academicwriting

Your subscribers aren't "busy." They're scared of reading. We tell ourselves people don't open emails because they're swamped. Inbox overwhelmed. No time. Too much going on. But here's the truth: They're opening emails. JUST NOT YOURS. Because the second they see a wall of text, their brain screams "work" and they bail. It's not about time. It's about effort. TikTok rewired us. Instagram trained us. We scroll now. We don't read. Zero patience. Zero tolerance for dense paragraphs. So if your email looks like an essay? It's dead before the second line. Here's what works now: 1. Write for the scroll, not the classroom Short sentences. Line breaks. White space everywhere. Make it feel like texting, not reading. 2. Use bold subheads as trail markers Let them skim and still get the point. If they can't extract value in 10 seconds, they won't give you 10 minutes. 3. Pattern breaks every 3-4 lines A question. A one-word sentence. A call-out. Anything that stops the eye from glazing over. 4. Mix content types Story. Lesson. Question. Offer. Variety keeps them engaged. I rewrote a client's email sequence using this approach. Old emails: 400-word blocks. 12% open rate. 0.8% click rate. New emails: Skimmable. Punchy. Lots of white space. Opens jumped to 28%. Clicks to 4.2%. Same list. Same offer. Different format. Your subscribers aren't ignoring you because they're busy. They're ignoring you because you're making them work too hard. Make it easy. Make it fast. Make it skimmable. #EmailMarketing #CopywritingTips #DigitalMarketing LinkedIn LinkedIn Guide to Creating

My holy grail writing tips for instantly better copy: Make it active → Start with a verb ❌ "Our products support childhood development" ✅ "Watch your toddler discover new textures" Write with precision → be specific ❌ "Loved by parents everywhere" ✅ "Part of 50,000+ bedtimes" Keep it short → ruthlessly edit ❌ "Our solution gives parents the ability to monitor their baby's sleep patterns and get detailed insights" ✅ "See exactly when your baby stirs" Use "you" not "we" → center your customer ❌ "We create safe, non-toxic products for families" ✅ "Keep your kids safe from harsh chemicals" Read it out loud → if it sounds weird, rewrite it Would you actually say "transform meal planning" to someone? No, you wouldn't (unless you're a chatgpt reading this). You'd say "figure out dinner with no meltdowns"

Half of the resumes I read miss this crucial step. They cram in way too much information. Your resume should be like the 2-minute highlight reel, not the entire football game. First of all – resume length guidelines ✪ New grads – 1 page ✪ Experienced professionals – 2 pages ✪ C-Level with long career history – try for 2 pages, unless you’d be leaving off important previous information Here’s how to trim it back: ✔ Leave out irrelevant content. If you are going for a sales role and have previous experience in accounting, it may not be very relevant to the new position. ✔ Go back 10-15 years tops, and summarize earlier experience ✔ Aim for 4-6 major accomplishments for each job and as needed group accomplishments. Instead of 6 accomplishments noting how you saved money, you can group them together and share the collect amount that you saved by implementing cost reduction initiatives. ✔ Leave off outdated content like “objectives” and “references available on request.” ✔ Shorten the overview section by covering your main objective for the role, not everything you were responsible for. ✔ Re-write text that is verbose. You can often say the same thing in fewer words. What else? #resumes #careers #interviewing

I've been writing copy for 11 years and studying the best performers for even longer. Here’s 18 copywriting principles that actually move the needle: 1) Your headline has one job Get people to read the next line. That's it. Bad: "Revolutionary AI-powered email platform" Good: "Your emails are probably going to spam" 2) Sell the outcome, not the process People don't want a gym membership. They want to look good naked. "Advanced fitness tracking technology" => "See your abs in 90 days" 3) Make it scannable Most people don't read. They scan. So write for scanners. Use short sentences. Like this. And this. Break up long paragraphs. 4) Address the elephant in the room If people are thinking it, say it first. "Yes, another project management tool" beats pretending you're the first one ever made. 5) Use the word "you" more than "we" Count them in your copy. You should win by a landslide. "We help companies scale" => "You can scale without losing your mind" 6) Write like you're texting a friend Forget "professional" copy. Real language wins. "Leverage our solutions to optimize" => "Here's how to fix this mess" 7) Lead with the problem, not the solution People need to feel the pain before they want the cure. "Advanced CRM features" => "Your deals are falling through the cracks" 8) One idea per sentence If you can add "and" to your sentence, it's probably too long. Split it up. 9) Use numbers (but make them believable) "Thousands of customers" sounds made up. "2,847 customers" sounds real. 10) Test your copy on your mom If she doesn't understand what you do, rewrite it. 11) Delete every "very," "really," and "quite" They weaken everything. Your product is either good or it isn't. 12) Start with the biggest benefit Bury the lead in journalism. Lead with it in copywriting. "Save time, reduce costs, improve efficiency" => "Cut your workload in half" 13) Use power words (sparingly) Free, new, proven, guaranteed, instant. But don't sound like a used car salesman. 14) Write buttons that continue the conversation "Submit" tells people to stop talking. "Show me how" keeps them engaged. 15) Create urgency without lying "Limited time offer" is played out. "Price increases next month" is honest urgency. 16) Show, don't tell "User-friendly interface" => Screenshot of the actual interface "Fast results" => "Results in 24 hours" 17) Use "because" to justify anything Harvard study: People will do almost anything if you give them a reason. "Buy now because..." always works better than "Buy now." 18) End with one clear next step Don't give people 5 options. Give them one obvious choice. Multiple CTAs = confused customers = no sales. TAKEAWAY: Good copy isn't about being clever. It's about being clear. Clear wins every time.

Most people think they're "bad writers". But they're actually bad editors. Here's what I mean: The most underrated copywriting rule in the world? Cut the fluff. We're conditioned to elongate and waste time with our writing. Here's 5 tweaks I'm constantly giving clients to write concise content: (+ hold reader engagement) 1. Delete “just” The word "just" often dilutes the impact of the sentence. It suggests less of or a reduction. And that devalues whatever statement you’re making. Erase it. Let your statement/opinion/point of view stand (confidently). 2. Delete ‘I think’ "I think" weakens your authority. You sound less convinced. So your reader thinks you’re speculating. You’re no longer the expert. Drop it and present your statements as definitive to build credibility. 3. Delete ‘also’ "Also" disrupts flow. It feels additive, not important. It signals an afterthought. You don’t need to prove you have another point to add. Make each point strong and stand alone. It might feel direct - brutal, even - but it adds power. 4. Delete ‘I doubt’ Showing doubt disrupts persuasive momentum. It suggests uncertainty. And then, your reader starts to question you. Be bold or show other sides to your point, without being skeptical. 5. Delete ‘really’ "Really" is used for emphasis. But it’s unnecessary. It takes away from the emotional description to come. “It was really bad”? Or “It was bad”? Don’t lean on “really”. Instead, lean on heightening the emotional description. Make each word earn it’s place. Every word should serve a purpose. And add clear value to your sentence. By deleting unnecessary fillers, you create with clarity, concision and impact. Remember: On social media, attention is brief. Concision is your friend in holding reader engagement. TL;DR: 1. Delete “just” 2. Delete ‘I think’ 3. Delete ‘also’ 4. Delete ‘I doubt’ 5. Delete ‘really’ Remember: you're not a bad writer. You just talk too much. ↓ 👋 Want free copywriting templates, guides and cheat sheets? Join 11,000+ on my newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e9ppAnJu You'll get 7 days of templates, my ultimate hook writing cheat sheet and more, free.

If you can say it in fewer words, do it. Why? Because every extra word in your email kills conversions. Fewer words = higher click rates. Examples from real ecommerce emails: "Click here to browse our extensive collection of summer essentials" → "Shop summer essentials" "Take advantage of our limited-time promotional discount of 20% off" → "20% off. Ends tonight." "We'd like to inform you that the item you expressed interest in is back in stock" → "Your wishlist item is back" Shorter is sharper. Sharper gets clicked. Clicked makes money. Your customers get 250+ emails daily. They're skimming, not reading. Cut your next email copy in half. Watch your click rates double.

One of the shortest messages I’ve ever written ended up booking one of the biggest calls of my career. It simply read: “Hey [Name], saw your team is expanding [Function]. We’ve helped [Other Client] do the same. Open to a quick call next week?” That’s it - three lines, under 200 characters. Why it worked: 1️⃣ No fluff. Every word had a job. 2️⃣ Immediate relevance. It referenced something they were actively doing. 3️⃣ Low-friction CTA. Easy to say yes without a big commitment. Founders often overcomplicate cold DMs because they’re afraid of being ignored. They load up on benefits, credentials, and proof points, hoping to cover every angle. But here’s the thing - clarity is the antidote to doubt. The longer the DM, the more it reads like a pitch. The shorter it is, the more it reads like a person reaching out. You’re not trying to close the deal in DM #1. You’re trying to earn the reply that starts the conversation. Sometimes, less really does win more. What’s the shortest message you’ve ever sent that got a “Yes”? 👇 #PersonalStory #MessagingWins #B2BOutreach #CXOConnect #CopywritingTips