Editing for Clarity and Impact

My client emailed me a 100-slide presentation, asking: "𝘐𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨?" "I don't know... I'm sure I could trim the length, if that's what you want." "𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵." "But editing isn't a cutting exercise. It's a value-adding one." After >10 years as a medical editor for pharmaceutical agencies, I've learned this: You're not counting words. You're making words count. Here's how to transform wordy content into powerful communication: 1. Every sentence must earn its place. Does it move your story forward? If not, delete it. 2. Choose active over passive voice. "The team completed the study" beats "The study was completed by the team." 3. Eliminate redundant phrases and repeated points. "In order to" becomes "to". "At this point in time" becomes "now". 4. Follow a clear structure. What did you discover? Why does it matter? What's the next step? 5. Read it aloud. Your ear catches what your eye misses. 6. Respect your reader's time. Every extra word is a tax on their attention. Before: "In order to facilitate the optimisation of our communication effectiveness, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the various different methodologies available." [Sleeping already...] After: "We analysed our communication methods to improve effectiveness." Bottom line: It's not about you. It's about your reader. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬?

Can You Grab Leaders’ Attention with One Sentence? In business, everyone relies on written communication. But have you ever stopped to consider how the quality of your writing affects your influence and credibility—especially with senior leaders? Twenty years ago, I learned a simple yet powerful exercise that has stuck with me ever since. It’s based on how journalists craft headlines. Here’s the idea: Headlines are designed to communicate maximum information with minimum words. Go to your preferred news source, pick a headline, and analyze it. Count the number of words and the number of facts or data points it conveys. For example, I recently came across this headline on the BBC: “Éowyn strongest storm in 10 years, says Met Office.” This headline is only 9 words long, but it delivers 5 key facts: 1. Éowyn is the name of the storm. 2. “Strongest” tells us its intensity. 3. It’s a storm (the subject). 4. “10 years” provides the time context. 5. The Met Office is the credible source behind this statement. Now let’s look at the next sentence in the article: “Storm Éowyn was ‘probably the strongest storm’ to hit the UK in at least 10 years, the Met Office has said, after hundreds of thousands of people were left without power following wind gusts in excess of 100mph.” This sentence expands on the headline with 38 words and delivers 11 facts—adding depth while still being clear and concise. So, what’s the lesson here? Writing clear, concise sentences—especially in leadership communication—is critical to convey ideas effectively without wasting your reader’s time. Leaders are busy; they don’t want fluff—they want clarity and impact. Everyone can improve with practice, here’s how you can improve your written communication: • Identify your key facts: What are the essential points you need to convey? • Remove unnecessary words: Edit ruthlessly for clarity and brevity. The goal is simple: Make every word count so your message resonates with maximum impact. What do you think? Do you have any tips or exercises that have helped you write more effectively? Let’s discuss in the comments—I’d love to hear from you! #thereflectiveexecutive

My go-to self-editing checklist for every blog I self-edit. ✍️ 1️⃣ Clarity: Is the main point clear throughout the piece? Are the ideas logically organized and easy to follow? Eg: ❌ I went to the store to buy some fruit, and then I realized I forgot my wallet." (You’ve already bought the fruit) ✅ I went to the store to buy some fruit, but I realized I forgot my wallet." The revised version follows a logical order and is easier to understand. 2️⃣ Structure: Does your introduction hook the reader and set the tone? Are your paragraphs well-organized, each covering one main idea? Do your subheadings break the content into digestible sections (Bullets, tables, images)? 3️⃣ Grammar & Punctuation: Are there any spelling or grammar mistakes? (Use Grammarly extension, but also use your brain) 4️⃣ Conciseness: Are you using any unnecessary words or phrases? Can you simplify complex sentences without losing meaning? 5️⃣ Engagement: Is your tone conversational and relatable? Have you included calls-to-action or engaging questions? (If the draft feels monotonous or you find yourself skipping words, your reader might do the same. Add a question to re-engage them and hold their attention.) 6️⃣ SEO: Are your target keywords naturally incorporated? Does your meta description accurately summarize the article? (This has a separate checklist; deserves another post) 7️⃣ Final Read-Through: Read aloud to catch awkward phrasing or unclear sentences. Take a break before doing your final check to see it with fresh eyes. (which I call the reader's eyes) I always use this checklist to polish my writing and make sure it's the best version of itself before I send it to my clients. PS. Do you self-edit your blogs or work with editors?

"I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout it from the rooftops. To put it another way, they're like dandelions. If you have one on your lawn, it looks pretty and unique. If you fail to root it out, however, you find five the next day... fifty the day after that... and then, my brothers and sisters, your lawn is totally, completely, and profligately covered with dandelions. By then you see them for the weeds they really are, but by then it's—GASP!!—too late.” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft 🌼Fellow medical writers, let's talk about those "dandelions" in our own field: unnecessary adverbs. King's analogy resonates deeply with the need for clear, concise, and impactful medical communication. Precision isn't just a stylistic choice – it's vital to convey accurate scientific information. Just like those dandelions, adverbs creep into our writing, adding fluff and weakening our message. They dilute the strength of our verbs and make prose less direct. For those of you just starting your journey in medical writing, here's a key takeaway: ✅ Focus on strong verbs. Choose verbs that convey the meaning you intend, reducing the need for adverbs to prop them up. ✅ Be precise in your language. Select nouns and adjectives that are specific and unambiguous, leaving less room for modification. ✅ Read your work critically. Actively look for adverbs and ask yourself if they add essential meaning or if the sentence would be stronger without them. Strive for lawns of impactful prose, free from the overgrowth of unnecessary adverbs. 🌱 What are your go-to strategies for clarity in your medical writing? 🎯 Share your tips in the comments 👇 #medicalwriting #medcomms #writingtips #clarity #conciseness #stephenking #amwriting #healthcarecommunication

At #ACES2025, I witnessed a refreshing take on AI from editor Erin Servais that aligns perfectly with what I've been advocating: AI isn't replacing editors—it's another tool in our professional toolkit. The challenge is learning to use it effectively. Here are key takeaways for editors considering AI integration. The Power of Prompting Like any tool, AI responds to the skill of its user. Vague instructions yield vague results. The art of "prompting"—giving AI specific, detailed instructions—is essentially editing before editing. For example, replace: "Please improve this text" ❌ With: "Revise this technical documentation about cloud security for IT managers with limited technical background. Use plain language, maintain key technical concepts, and format with bulleted lists for readability." ✅ Plain Language Applications For editors focused on clarity and readability, AI can assist with: -- Converting jargon to simple terms -- Restructuring complex sentences -- Suggesting reader-friendly formatting -- Adapting content for specific audiences The most effective approach is iterative editing. Make one request at a time, then evaluate the results at each step. Practical Limitations & Professional Judgment While GenAI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini can process significant content, they work best with smaller chunks—currently around 10 pages or less. Most importantly, editors must review _every_ output. The technology isn't autonomous. It requires our expertise to validate suggestions, maintain voice, and ensure accuracy. Client Conversations As clients discover these tools, our role will evolve to include educating them about tool limitations. We need to advocate for skilled human prompting and review. A human editor's judgment remains irreplaceable. Where Do We Go from Here? As editing professionals, we can lead the adoption of these technologies rather than resist them. Our expertise becomes more valuable in evaluating, refining, and implementing AI-assisted edits. What's your experience using AI in your editing workflow? Have you found specific prompting techniques particularly effective? Share your thoughts below. #AmEditing #EditingWithAI #PlainLanguage

A job seeker shared their resume with me yesterday—and I had that all-too-familiar reaction: “Whew… this is going to take work.” Not because the person wasn’t qualified. Not because they didn’t have great experience. But because it was buried under layers of formatting, dense text, and unclear structure. And here’s the hard truth I had to tell them (and now I’m telling you): If it takes effort to find the value in your resume, most people won’t do it. And not because they’re lazy. Because they’re busy. We like to think people will dig for the greatness we’ve tucked inside long paragraphs or overly clever formats. But the reality is, readers are ruthlessly efficient. Recruiters and hiring managers have minutes—sometimes seconds—to make a decision. And if your resume reads like a puzzle to solve, they’ll move on to the next one that doesn't. It’s not about how good your content is. It’s about how easy your content is to use. Here’s what makes a difference: Readable formatting: Use consistent spacing, bullet points, and clean alignment (left-aligned text is proven to be faster to read). Short paragraphs and scannable sections: Long blocks of text are hard on the eyes and hard on the brain. Clear value upfront: Lead with outcomes, not just duties. Make the impact of your work obvious. Text hierarchy: Use bolding or spacing to guide the eye. Help the reader find what matters most. Jacob Nielsen, a usability expert, talks about how things like line height and justification impact reading speed. These are design choices, but they’re also respect choices—respecting the reader’s time and energy. At Teal, this is why we built our Resume Builder to make formatting simple and intentional. You focus on the content; we help make it easier to read. Because the resume that gets read is the one that gets results. So if you’re working on your resume today, don’t just ask: “Is this good?” Ask: “Is this easy?” What Do You Think? Have you tried re-formatting your resume for better readability? What changes helped you most? Share your insights below! ♻️ Reshare to help someone make their next job move.  🔔 Follow me for more job search & resume tips.

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.

Sharpen your writing by ditching the qualifiers that soften impact. WEAK: Prospects with limited budgets usually ask for price concessions. STRONG: Prospects with limited budgets demand price concessions. WEAK: Customers often hesitate when pricing isn’t clear. STRONG: Customers hesitate when pricing isn’t clear. WEAK: Buyers typically avoid complicated onboarding. STRONG: Buyers avoid complicated onboarding. When you edit your copy and content, consider eliminating qualifiers such as: Sometimes Usually Often Generally Typically Frequently Rarely Seldom Possibly Probably Mostly Largely Occasionally Potentially Commonly Somewhat Every “usually” is a missed opportunity to be strong, confident, and clear. 

When it comes to editing a document, I follow a pretty simple rule: clarity over chaos. Here’s my process: 1. Read the whole thing first. No edits. Just vibes. I want to understand the flow, the structure, the tone. I want to identify which parts make my stomach hurt. Editing without context is like building IKEA furniture without the instructions (and yes, I’ve tried that too). 2. Second round: comments. I start adding suggestions and questions, but I’m not vague about it. I explain what’s not working and propose how it could work better. I personally hate when people suggest changes without offering a direction. If you’re going to say “this isn’t working,” at least give a hint of what might. Make people’s lives easier. 3. Then, I go in with track changes. If it’s a typo or a factual error, I just fix it. No need to comment “typo” and make the author do extra work. One last thing: Please stop making infinite versions of the same file. It’s 2025 and we have the cloud. Collaborative docs are your friends. Use them. That’s how I edit. What’s your process? Curious how others approach this (especially fellow communicators). Let’s trade notes.