Yaniv Preiss

I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.

Whether attributed to Mark Twain, Cicero, Pascal or Nietzsche, brevity is a skill that helps people remember the message and hopefully act on it.

A brain-dump is quick and dirty. Shortening and making the message clear takes time and effort. This is what the quote above is all about.
Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address was carefully crafted. With only 271 words it became one of the most influential statements on the American national purpose.

There are multiple reasons for writing in length, few are legitimate depending on the case:

• With passion for a topic, we have the urge to radiate knowledge
• Wish to impress with our knowledge
• Sunk cost fallacy – after conducting a long research, we share all we learned
• We learned in school that length was a criterion
• Some general expectation that longer is better, because it’s “more”
• Give others “what they paid for” or justify their effort
• Copying others with similar messages in our environment
• We’re eager to persuade, and want to use our entire ammunition
• Aim to create a “bible”, a reference guide with everything about a topic
• Extensive documentation
• We write a novel

I am definitely guilty of this myself.

Considering “communication is what the listener does” [Drucker] and DiSC, roughly 25% of the people love very long and detailed messages.
This means 75% do not. They may either delete the message, start reading and give up, mark as unread, or most commonly – skim through.

We all have short attention spans and multiple sources of information competing.
Crisp and short messages may work better.

Know your audience, your goal and experiment.

Tactics for “shorter letters”

• Write the message as usual, let it rest for a while (minutes, hours, days – depending on the size and medium) and come back to it later after some detachment
• Ruthlessly reduce 50% of your original message
• Set artificial limits on the number of words (e.g. 150 for emails)
• Have only a single request/question (follow up after receiving a response)
• Have only a single idea (the word “and” in the title could hint)
• Replace long sophisticated words (don’t send non native speakers to a dictionary)
• Simplify sentences
• If you insist on long letter, add a BLUF (bottom line up front) or a TL;DR at the very top, don’t hide your request in the fifth paragraph, making the reader read the whole thing again
• After shortening, re-read to make sure it’s understandable and not “dumbed down”

Examples of easier words

Utilize -> Use
Ascertain -> Find out
Endeavor -> Try
Inquire -> Ask
Acquire -> Get
Commence -> Start
Obtain -> Get
Expedite -> Speed up
Terminate -> End
Comprehend -> Understand
Encompass -> Include

Examples of shorter sentences

In the event that there is inclement weather, it is imperative that all outdoor activities be postponed until further notice.
->
If the weather is bad, we postpone outdoor activities.

In order to achieve optimal performance, it is essential that you undergo rigorous training and adhere strictly to the prescribed regimen.
->
To perform well, you need to train hard and stick to the plan.

In the eventuality that unforeseen circumstances arise, it is important to have a contingency plan in place to mitigate any potential risks.
->
We need a backup plan if something unexpected happens.