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How to Sculpt Your Sentences (and Write Clearly)

by Henneke | 163 enchanting opinions, add yours? :)

What if writing was like sculpting?

Imagine a huge piece of marble in front of you.

And in your hand, a chisel.

How would you sculpt a beautiful nude?

First, you conjure up an image in your mind: a vision of her beauty. Is she sitting or standing? Or dancing? What impression should she make?

Is she voluptuous or lean? Does she have small feet? Large hands? A big nose?

When you set to work, you consider the right proportions first—the length of her legs, arms, torso, neck and head. Then you work on the details—her delicate curves, her nose, eyes, and her hair.

Sculpting your sentences is like making the light dance around the curves of your beautiful nude.

How to sculpt concise sentences

To sculpt your sentences, you eliminate excess words to create a pleasurable reader experience—your message becomes crystal-clear, and your readers dance through your content, feeling light and airy.

Sound good?

To practice your sculpting skills, don’t work on a long piece of text. Instead, work on a headline, an opening, or closing paragraph. Consider writing each sentence on a new line, so focusing your attention on each sentence becomes easier.

This is the process for sculpting concise sentences:

  1. Read your sentence slowly
  2. Highlight the most meaningful words
  3. Rewrite your sentence by focusing on the meaningful words

Shall I show you some examples?

3 examples of clear and concise sentences

Example sentence #1:

When I started my own business, it has given me a whole new perspective to see the bigger picture when it comes to finding a work / life balance.

Meaningful words in bold:

When I started my own business, it has given me a whole new perspective to see the bigger picture when it comes to finding a work / life balance.

Clear and concise version:

Starting my own business has given me a new perspective on work / life balance.

Note:
Many words have some meaning, but aren’t particularly strong. So don’t fret too long whether a word is meaningful or not. Go with your gut feeling; it’s not an exact science.

Also, in the example above, the bigger picture and a new perspective are similar phrases so I chose one and eliminated the other.

Example sentence #2:

I will provide you with suggestions on your performance so you can overcome the challenges you encounter every day while working for a difficult boss, so you can feel less stressed.

Meaningful words in bold:

I will provide you with suggestions on your performance so you can overcome the challenges you encounter every day while working for a difficult boss, so you can feel less stressed.

Clear and concise version:

I help you overcome the daily challenges of working for a difficult boss, so you feel less stressed.

Note:
Verbs like provide, add, and make may seem meaningful, but they’re relatively weak. Where possible, use a stronger verb. For instance:

  • To provide comments—to comment
  • To add a splash of color—to splash colors
  • To make progress—to progress

A stronger verb—like to splash—is preferable to a weak verb + a noun (to add a splash).

Example sentence #3:

Our mastermind group for beginning solo-entrepreneurs will help you fight the solitude related to a solo-business and provide a sounding board to make the right decisions faster, so you can stop dithering and make progress faster.

Meaningful words in bold:

Our mastermind group for beginning solo-entrepreneurs will help you fight the solitude related to a solo-business and it will provide a sounding board to make the right decisions faster, so you can stop dithering and make progress faster.

Clear and concise version:

Our mastermind for beginning solo-entrepreneurs helps you fight solitude. We help each other make decisions, so your business grows faster.

Much clearer, eh?

Writing clearly and concisely is a craft

Focusing on meaningful words helps you understand what your sentence should communicate so your message becomes clearer.

But it can take some practice and require some effort.

Best way to do it?

Approach it as game: Play with different variations, and don’t fuss for too long.

Remember, writing as tightly as possible is not your aim.

Your ultimate aim is to communicate your message with clarity so you can connect with and inspire your audience.

Have fun!

P.S.

Enjoyed this? You’ll love my new course: Write with Power and Personality—a playful editing course that helps you shape your voice and captivate your audience.

Enroll now and get two free bonus workshops in July:

Recommended reading on writing clearly and concisely:

How to avoid wordiness
How to avoid the curse of knowledge
How to simplify your writing: A little-known practice

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Comments

  1. Priscilla Tan says

    June 18, 2025 at 4:25 am

    I recall you shared this tip a few years ago, Henneke. How nice to revisit it again! It’s a goodie 🙂

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 18, 2025 at 9:24 am

      Amazing that you still remember! I first published this post in 2017. I’m glad you enjoyed a second visit 🙂

      Reply
  2. sanjana says

    June 17, 2025 at 4:25 pm

    overall it helped me much , i need more like this to learn can you give me …..

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 17, 2025 at 6:33 pm

      There’s lots more in my course!

      Reply
  3. Maurice says

    June 17, 2025 at 1:41 pm

    l just love being concise, or should I say, I love being concise.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 17, 2025 at 1:42 pm

      Yep, “just” can often be removed. Great to meet a fellow conciseness fan!

      Reply
  4. Paulo says

    June 11, 2024 at 12:12 pm

    I love the examples showed step by step 🤯

    I’ve tried so select the string words and imagine a concise version of the paragraf while I was reading hahaha

    This guide is amazing!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 12, 2024 at 10:10 am

      This is such a useful practice. I use it when I’m editing all the time.

      Thank you for stopping by again, Paulo. I appreciate it. Happy writing!

      Reply
  5. Day Piercy says

    February 27, 2024 at 4:07 pm

    Helpful editing and revision tool. Thanks! One of many takeaways …..

    Write until *I* feel inspired by my writing.

    A wonderful way to activate a storytelling voice that weaves into my over-trained intellect. A new belief is emerging: Complicated ideas that inspire are easier for others’ intellects to grasp.

    I appreciate your expertise in showing and explaining this truth that is easing my intellect into a new way of writing.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      February 27, 2024 at 5:22 pm

      I like that idea: Write until you feel inspired by your own writing. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
  6. Jude William Amigo says

    February 27, 2024 at 12:27 pm

    This one is a gem. Thank you for sharing with us this awesome content! It practiced what it preached. Not to mention, it’s free of charges and add-ons. Unlike other websites, Amazing! 

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      February 27, 2024 at 12:28 pm

      Thank you, Jude. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Happy editing!

      Reply
  7. Sarah says

    February 27, 2024 at 11:16 am

    Thank you Henneke, I always love your articles. This one particularly delighted me as I use the sculpting analogy too. It’s what we do when we’re editing – chip, chip away to create a perfectly formed image in our reader’s mind.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      February 27, 2024 at 11:58 am

      Thank you, Sarah. I find this such a satisfying part of the writing process.

      Reply
  8. Inadinimi says

    January 28, 2024 at 7:46 am

    Thanks Henneke for this piece.
    I will practice “writing each sentence on a new line” in my drafts.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 29, 2024 at 10:36 am

      Thank you, Inadinimi. I’m glad youf ound this useful.

      Reply
  9. Coleen Smith says

    January 17, 2024 at 2:28 pm

    Hello Henneke,
    Thank you for this excellent article. It helps to better understand a key technique to engage readers.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 17, 2024 at 3:56 pm

      Thank you, Coleen. Happy writing!

      Reply
  10. Lois says

    January 9, 2024 at 9:22 pm

    Hello Henneke
    This is an interesting and revealing piece.
    Wow! It reminds me of surgery 😅
    Writing concise and meaningful sentences by EXCISING excess words.
    Your suggestions are clear and helpful.
    Thanks a ton

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 11, 2024 at 9:27 am

      I’m glad you found this helpful, Lois. It’s such a useful technique. I use it all the time.

      And yeah, the precision of surgery. Still, I prefer thinking of it as sculpting and removing any excess stone. It feels less painful!

      Reply
  11. Alexandra says

    June 11, 2023 at 2:01 pm

    I’ve already read this post, but this time, I can see it differently. It means I progressed. 🙂 Thanks to you.

    I stayed long before your writing, especially example 2.
    I understand : which word is important for me? Which word attract me?
    In other words, what do I want to communicate?

    ”provide” or ”comments” ? ”add” or splash of colors”?
    If it’s ”comments” and ”splash of colors”, I turn them into a verb.
    ”To comment” and ”To splash colors”.

    Just follow what we feel. An we find our answer.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 12, 2023 at 12:06 pm

      Yes, I like your suggestion to follow what you feel. No one correct answer exists.

      Reply
  12. Morshed says

    October 21, 2022 at 4:48 pm

    Being a learner of content writing its a really great tip for me. Thanks. How can I improve my grammar skill?

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 22, 2022 at 4:25 pm

      What helped me most is to get editors or proofreaders to correct my writing, so I learned what mistakes I was making and could avoid them in future. Reading a lot in English helps, too. I rarely read anything in my native language (Dutch) these days.

      Reply
  13. Sudhir Bhatt says

    October 15, 2022 at 11:26 am

    MS word has a feature – read aloud, you use it to read out your long sentences , then edit it. No need to read aloud. My experience- works faster to edit.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 17, 2022 at 10:40 am

      Yes, that works, too. I still like to read aloud myself 🙂

      Reply
  14. Esha K Sidhu says

    July 7, 2022 at 2:42 pm

    Thanks for the helpful tips.
    I haven’t got the sentence magic all figured out. But just after one reading of this blog I saw some changes in how I ‘sculpt’ my sentences.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      July 7, 2022 at 4:19 pm

      That’s fabulous, Esha, that you’ve already seen improvements in your sentences.

      And I think it’s impossible to figure out all the magic. I’m still learning, too. We can always improve and our writing voices keep evolving.

      Happy writing!

      Reply
  15. Nouman Ahmad says

    June 15, 2022 at 11:43 am

    hey Henneke!
    Being a beginner content writer your writing sounds difficult for me. What should I do to capture your concept more easily?

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 15, 2022 at 12:08 pm

      Generic writing tips are difficult because it’s not easy to see how (and whether) they apply to your own writing. Maybe your writing is already concise so you don’t need to pay attention to this. Maybe some words you use are usually redundant and all you need to do is to remove these—you just need to know which these are.

      So, the easiest (and quickest) way to improve your writing is to work with a good editor or coach because they can show you which tricks make the most difference to your writing.

      Reply
  16. Melody Krafft says

    April 4, 2022 at 11:28 pm

    I love your advice. I am creating a new website. The current one is out dated. Your suggestions are clear and exactly what I need. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 5, 2022 at 10:36 am

      Thank you, Melody. I’m glad you’re enjoying my writing and applying it straightaway to your new website. Fab!

      Reply
  17. Donna says

    March 23, 2022 at 8:31 pm

    This is the best writing help I’ve found. Easy to read and understand. I’ve learned a lot in just a couple of articles. Love your writing style.

    You’ve found a new follower.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      March 24, 2022 at 8:36 am

      That’s such great feedback. Thank you, Donna. Happy writing!

      Reply
  18. Luis Felipe says

    September 21, 2021 at 2:07 pm

    Henneke, thanks for this post.

    As native Portuguese speaker, I tend to favor indirect speech and zombie words. Your tips have helped me to improve as a writer.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      September 21, 2021 at 3:03 pm

      That sounds great. Thank you for letting me know, Luis. Happy writing!

      Reply
  19. Elika Jirehl Rillera says

    August 26, 2021 at 8:53 am

    Henneke, thank you for this post! It was meaningful, on-point and exactly what I needed. I am also enjoying the emails I receive from your free writing course.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      August 26, 2021 at 10:31 am

      I’m glad you found this useful, Elika. And I’m delighted you’re enjoying the snacks 🙂

      Reply
  20. Ayelén says

    July 5, 2021 at 12:20 pm

    Hi! I’m building a new landing page and this article helped me a lot. I made great progress in editing the content, shortening the sentences, and communicating what I do in a simpler way.
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      July 5, 2021 at 8:29 pm

      I’m glad this was useful, Ayelén.

      Reply
  21. Bose Arimah says

    June 14, 2021 at 10:00 am

    This is just what I need. I’m glad I found you, Henneke. Thanks a lot.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 14, 2021 at 1:20 pm

      You’re welcome 🙂 Happy writing!

      Reply
  22. Ogechukwu Juachi says

    May 11, 2021 at 5:46 pm

    Awesome teaching.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      May 11, 2021 at 6:25 pm

      Thank you, Ogechukwu 🙂

      Reply
  23. Anne Schroeder says

    March 19, 2021 at 5:52 pm

    This is awesome
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      March 19, 2021 at 6:00 pm

      Thank you, Anne. Happy writing! 🙂

      Reply
  24. Hafeez says

    February 18, 2021 at 12:47 am

    Thank you very much 😊 for your reply.

    Reply
  25. Hafeez says

    February 17, 2021 at 6:08 pm

    Hello
    I learned a lot from this article. Thanks for publishing it. I have a question if you could answer please.
    Are there any standard tests, which have been developed to check the ability to write concisely, precisely thus clearly?
    I’ll be really grateful if you could share a link of such tests.
    Regards,

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      February 17, 2021 at 6:39 pm

      I don’t know of any tests measuring writing concisely. The Hemingway app highlights all adverbs but that doesn’t mean all adverbs need to be deleted plus it’s anyway not a measure for writing concisely.

      Reply
  26. Trevor Valentine says

    January 15, 2021 at 2:10 am

    Great, a motivation, always eager to learn more from you.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 15, 2021 at 5:29 pm

      Thank you, Trevor. Happy writing!

      Reply
  27. Achuil says

    November 14, 2020 at 5:20 pm

    My GOSH! The piece has magically enlivened me, and given me hope of getting there – wiring good pieces for different purposes.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      November 14, 2020 at 7:58 pm

      I’m glad you enjoyed this, Achuil! Thank you for stopping by.

      Reply
      • Achuil says

        November 14, 2020 at 9:30 pm

        I thank you from the bottom of my heart Henneke for these highly educative pieces . I believe if I continuously read them, I’ll make a good writer and editor as well.

        Reply
  28. Mel says

    October 17, 2020 at 8:34 pm

    Another informative piece we can learn from. Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 18, 2020 at 6:06 pm

      Thank you, Mel. Happy writing!

      Reply
  29. Jhared Villablanca says

    August 23, 2020 at 7:53 am

    Just a random question: Do you think flowery sentences are better than concise sentences? Well, I’ve read so many novels with such long sentences in a paragraph, containing flowery words and it’s a half-boring half-enjoyable to be read because of the creative mind of the author. Though, concise words are like short and a little bit fast-paced to be read but you can understand it fastly. (Sorry for some grammar mistakes, thanks for this topic also)

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      August 23, 2020 at 12:50 pm

      Good writing conjures up strong imagery so you can’t write too sparsely. You need some sensory words and strong verbs. So, it’s always a balance between conciseness and imagery. Where exactly the balance falls is a matter of voice and personal preference.

      If in doubt, I choose simplicity because we’re not writing to impress our readers but to create a smooth, enjoyable reading experience.

      Reply
  30. Hiền says

    August 15, 2020 at 7:08 am

    Hello Henneke,

    By the way, how is it called a meaningful word? What criteria to define it make sense?

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      August 15, 2020 at 12:26 pm

      It’s not black and white, so there’s no strict definition of what’s meaningful and what’s not. Words like is, there, it, and just have very little meaning. While words like table, sentence, and sculpt, have more meaning. When you look at the example sentences, you can get a feel for what’s more and what’s less meaningful.

      Looking at words like this is just a tool to see whether you can write more concisely but there’s not one way to do it right or wrong.

      Reply
      • Hiền says

        August 15, 2020 at 1:12 pm

        Thanks for answering. As such, most of us must rely on our writing experience to determine if it makes sense or not.
        Have a nice day

        Reply
  31. Zafar Khalili says

    July 30, 2020 at 11:47 am

    is there any exercises related to writing?

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      July 31, 2020 at 9:51 am

      Hi Zafar, I publish exercises in my paid courses, not on my blog.

      Reply
  32. Sonia Bisi says

    July 5, 2020 at 3:28 pm

    Amazing craft and wordsmithing trove. Thank you Henneke!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      July 5, 2020 at 3:57 pm

      Thank you for your compliment, Sonia. Happy writing!

      Reply
  33. Elizabeth Anuoluwa says

    June 17, 2020 at 7:12 pm

    This write-up was helpful.
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 17, 2020 at 7:37 pm

      I’m glad it was helpful, Elizabeth. Happy writing!

      Reply
  34. Meredith says

    June 3, 2020 at 2:44 pm

    Your entire site is so helpful. Thank you for creating it. I come here almost every time I have copy to compose.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 3, 2020 at 6:18 pm

      Thank you, Meredith. I’m glad my writing is useful.

      Reply
  35. Akshay says

    May 25, 2020 at 9:00 am

    Enjoyed every word in this blog.
    Very well sculpted.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      May 25, 2020 at 5:49 pm

      Thank you! 🙂

      Reply
  36. Donna Kennedy says

    May 15, 2020 at 4:04 pm

    Thank you for all of your wonderful posts. I always walk away with great information and easy to follow guidelines.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      May 15, 2020 at 4:20 pm

      Thank you, Donna. I’m glad you’re enjoying my blog 🙂

      Happy writing!

      Reply
  37. Ella Birt says

    February 20, 2020 at 6:32 am

    Every post of yours is a gem. You make it look so easy! 🙂 You also make me look forward to practicing and seeing growth.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      February 20, 2020 at 1:53 pm

      Thank you for making my day with your comment, Ella. It makes me happy that you feel inspired to practice. Happy writing!

      Reply
  38. Stark says

    February 15, 2020 at 11:49 am

    Hey Henneke,

    Once again, amazing post. Every one of your post is a game changer.

    I only recently started breaking up my paragraphs into single sentences. I did it to help me catch errors. And also to make my posts easy to read.

    I didn’t know I was doing something right.

    Thanks for sharing value.

    Kind request: Do you think you could take a quick look at 2 of my blog posts and point out what things I need to change?

    Pwetty please? 🙂

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      February 16, 2020 at 2:56 pm

      I’m so glad you’re enjoying my writing! 🙂

      On breaking up paragraphs in single sentences: I think it’s good to do this so you can spot errors. However, when publishing, I prefer some variation between short paragraphs (with a few sentences) and one-sentence (or even one-word) paragraphs.

      Unfortunately, I don’t have time to review blog posts. It’s hard enough to update my own blog regularly!

      Reply
  39. Alice Brideau says

    February 10, 2020 at 9:46 pm

    I have been getting your “snack” emails and just read this page. I am loving all of it.

    Thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      February 11, 2020 at 6:41 pm

      I’m delighted you’re enjoying my writing. Thank you for letting me know, Alice. Happy writing!

      Reply
  40. Augusto says

    December 27, 2019 at 11:58 am

    Wow ! this is the advice i just needed now. I am about to start writing copy for a client. I have all those VOC…

    Your method to “edit” texts focussing on “meaningful words” is clear and concise. I am going to try it …for sure.

    Having you to my side

    Cheers

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      December 28, 2019 at 10:31 am

      Great. Happy writing! And thank you for stopping by, Augusto. I appreciate it.

      Reply
  41. Joan bell says

    August 29, 2019 at 10:47 pm

    Perfect timing Henneke. I needed to hear this today, right now. Having just finished writing and reading my Newsletter, the words “too much waffle” came to mind. Thank you. ♡

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      August 30, 2019 at 11:28 am

      I am glad this was helpful, Joan. I hope you’re not getting too critical of your writing?

      Reply
      • Joan Bell says

        August 31, 2019 at 7:12 am

        No, I’m not, Henneke, thanks. I’m learning to take ‘imperfect action’ which has helped quiet (quieten?) that inner critic.

        Reply
        • Henneke says

          August 31, 2019 at 2:03 pm

          That sounds good! 🙂

          Reply
  42. Claudius Ayadi says

    June 5, 2019 at 1:31 pm

    A friend suggested your blog in a Writing and Editing WhatsApp group. This is my first post read on your blog and I must say it’s awesome. You aren’t just teaching others to edit, your hands-on examples perfect everything.

    I’m glad I found you. I just started out as a writer and really don’t know where to start from. I’ve only written few pieces, which I believe, aren’t so good.

    I love descriptive writing and in my bid to be more elaborate, my writings are usually filled with redundant sentences and long paragraphs.

    I’ll try out this your “sculpting” technique right away. Thanks so much for providing values to others. I’ll subscribe to your list, too.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 5, 2019 at 6:21 pm

      Hi Claudius, Welcome to Enchanting Marketing 🙂

      I’m glad you found the sculpting technique useful. Happy writing!

      Reply
  43. Jessica says

    March 4, 2019 at 5:06 pm

    I love this idea. I can’t wait to try this out! I’m always trying to simplify my sentences.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      March 4, 2019 at 5:45 pm

      Happy writing, Jessica!

      Reply
  44. Martyn Stahl says

    February 19, 2019 at 12:35 pm

    A very useful guide, thanks. I have been tasked with helping academics write more inclusively so this will be very helpful. This is a subject that talked about but rarely put into practice in academia.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      February 19, 2019 at 12:38 pm

      Yes, academic writing is can be unwieldy! I’m glad this is helpful for academic writers, too.

      Reply
  45. Tarun says

    December 17, 2018 at 2:32 am

    It is simple and effective.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      December 17, 2018 at 9:42 am

      Indeed 🙂

      Reply
  46. Andrea Phillips says

    July 26, 2018 at 11:39 am

    These are helpful examples. The concept of strong words really helps me understand this process. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      July 26, 2018 at 11:50 am

      Thank you, Andrea. Happy sculpting! 🙂

      Reply
      • Sura Bir Ghalley says

        August 14, 2018 at 6:46 am

        Thanks Henneke !!!

        I use to presume the English speaking country people can write well articulated English in contrast many educated people in non-English speaking people can write and express very well.
        Regular practice and passion to write and communicate well is key to good communication skill.
        Happy writing.

        Reply
  47. Kezang Tshomo says

    June 18, 2018 at 8:33 am

    Wow… Amazing guide. You are a real genius.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 18, 2018 at 10:01 pm

      Thank you, Kezang

      Reply
  48. Himani Malvi says

    May 10, 2018 at 7:45 pm

    Hello Henneke, the way you describe the things is just amazing.
    I m in love with all your small and useful tips. So simple and effective specially for the beginners like me. I have learnt a lot from you. A big thanx for great guidance.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      May 11, 2018 at 9:26 am

      Thank you for your lovely comment, Himani. Happy writing!

      Reply
  49. Paola Stagnotti says

    April 3, 2018 at 11:46 am

    Always so inspiring! And concise, too.
    Thank you Henneke for sharing your craft, I am a huge fan. That’s most of all helpful when writing texts it’s your job and sometimes all you look for is a bit of comfort.

    Do you also have a suggested bibliography maybe?

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 3, 2018 at 8:56 pm

      Thank you for your lovely compliment, Paola.

      I don’t have a suggested reading list at the moment, but my intention is to publish one in the coming weeks. Stay tuned 🙂

      Reply
  50. Shafiu Mashood says

    February 8, 2018 at 7:57 pm

    What a nice piece, sentence sculpting is challenging for me, but with this, I will continue improving on it. Tightening is a useful tool for sculpting a concise and clear sentence, not making readers bored with voluminous article with less engagement. Thanks

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      February 8, 2018 at 8:49 pm

      We all find it a challenge to sculpt our sentences! It’s hard work, but with practice, it becomes easier. Happy writing!

      Reply
  51. Ray Khan says

    February 24, 2017 at 6:07 pm

    This article is reflective of why your blog posts are briliant Henneke; Not only do you provide valuable information, you explain it in a way I am able to grasp and implement.
    What could be better than that

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      February 25, 2017 at 9:03 am

      What a lovely comment. Thank you so much, Ray. I appreciate it 🙂

      Happy writing!

      Reply
  52. Bernice says

    January 25, 2017 at 9:55 pm

    You did answer the calling for your life, “chisel”, “sculpt” and “tighten” so easy to envision. Henneke, you’re such a blessing and highly appreciated.

    It is a delight learning from you, through you and sometimes you make it feel like with you. Thanks for being here.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 26, 2017 at 10:06 am

      What a lovely comment, Bernice. And yes, I’d like to cheer you on as if I’m there with you 🙂 Just like you all cheer me on to keep writing, too 🙂

      Reply
  53. Sienna Eskildsen says

    January 25, 2017 at 9:11 am

    All the words I use in my stories can be found in the dictionary. It’s just a matter of arranging them into the right sentences

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 25, 2017 at 7:28 pm

      Yep, that’s so true. No single word is original, but the way we put more words together gives us our voice. Thank you for your comment, Sienna.

      Reply
  54. Ravi Chahar says

    January 23, 2017 at 7:18 am

    Hi Henneke,

    You mentioning the most important point here. Writing a post is just sculpting. First, you have to build an image of the content.

    Crafting the content requires the vision. It maybe according to your readers or your blog, everything you do makes it better.

    Use your words just like a chisel to sculpt.
    Thanks for sharing with us.

    ~Ravi

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 24, 2017 at 6:09 pm

      Yep, that’s it. And keep your chisel sharp! 🙂

      Thank you for stopping by again, Ravi. I appreciate it.

      Reply
  55. Gill Andrews says

    January 20, 2017 at 2:21 pm

    I love this post especially because of the clear “how to” examples you can immediately put to use.

    A question: Have you ever done it the other way round: First jotting down the main words and then working the sentence around them? (Trying to think of a metaphor here, but nothing good comes to mind. Clay pots, snowmen, play-doh? :))

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 20, 2017 at 8:07 pm

      I might have done that for blog post titles and for value propositions for home pages or product pages. I often play around with different words. But when I write the main text for a blog post I usually start with sentences.

      How about you?

      PS Perhaps it’s more like scrapbooking? Like trying to combine different elements together?

      Reply
      • Gill Andrews says

        January 20, 2017 at 9:15 pm

        I never thought about it, actually. I think I do mostly the other way round: From main words to whole sentence. But sometimes I also do the “sculpting”, when I wasn’t able to identify main words in my head.

        Something totally weird just happened: I started writing a new post… by creating a mind map with 1-2 words in each box (!) This is new 😀 But I think this proves that the other way (from short to long) comes more naturally to me.

        But next time I have problems making a longer sentence short (which sometimes takes like forever) the technique you described in this post will be very helpful.

        Reply
        • Henneke says

          January 21, 2017 at 12:25 pm

          Yes, I do work in that way, too – starting a blog post based on a series of words. These words are like a high-level outline (or mindmap). I usually don’t write detailed outlines for blog posts, but work from a series of statements or words.

          Writing is so fascinating. We all write in different ways!

          Reply
  56. Lanber says

    January 19, 2017 at 12:44 pm

    Hi Henneke. What do you think of editing/writing apps like Hemingway? The URL is – http://www.hemingwayapp.com/

    Do you think it’s a good way edit?

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 20, 2017 at 1:03 pm

      Hi Lanber, The Hemingway app is a useful tool, but no tool can replace the judgement of the writer.

      Reply
    • Gill Andrews says

      January 20, 2017 at 2:16 pm

      Hi Lanber. I agree with Henneke. I use Hemingway every time before pressing “publish”. It does a good job pointing out potential problems. But whether I remove, improve or leave the words as they are is always a case-by-case decision I make myself.

      Reply
  57. Jon P says

    January 19, 2017 at 3:57 am

    Henneke,

    Not only are your sentences becoming ever more lean and potent—but your advice is as well. Great piece!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 19, 2017 at 10:29 am

      Thank you, Jon. That’s a lovely compliment!

      Reply
  58. Dr. Nicolas Rao says

    January 19, 2017 at 3:38 am

    Thank you Henneke,
    By taking out the unnecessary frills you are revealing the true beauty underneath.
    I just used a metaphor to describe my appreciation,
    My big passion is photography and to draw the eye of the viewer to the beauty I see.
    You make your words vibrate with meaning.
    Thanks, once again,
    Nicolas

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 19, 2017 at 10:29 am

      What a lovely comment, Nicolas. The way you describe this lets me see the similarities between photographers and writers as we both try to reveal true beauty, and by doing so we often try to make the ordinary extraordinary.

      Thank you for your comment!

      Reply
  59. Charles Doublet says

    January 18, 2017 at 11:45 am

    Henneke,

    Another fine article! I love the idea of focusing on what is strong rather than what’s wrong for editing. Reading your post reminded me of the book by Kurt Wright, Breaking the Rules. He also teaches about focusing on what is working rather than what is broken. Your article and his book will help me shift my focus away from being a perpetual problem-solver/finder.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 18, 2017 at 12:25 pm

      I love that idea: “focus on what’s working rather than what’s broken.”

      As human beings, we’re probably wired to focus on problems (and weaknesses!). Let’s celebrate what’s going well and build on that 🙂

      Thank you for your lovely comment, Chuck.

      Reply
  60. Denise says

    January 18, 2017 at 6:13 am

    Hi Henneke,

    Thank you for posting this. After reading your post I thought your website could be a wonderful place for your readers to exchange tips and ideas, like a feedback given to each other after reading the lessons in your posts. We, your readers, could show how we applied what we learned from you. Maybe you could consider adding a forum section.. Just a humble idea 🙂

    I love your drawings. Only seeing them helps me remember what the post was about, even without reading it.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 18, 2017 at 12:23 pm

      What a lovely comment. Thank you, Denise!

      Let me think about your forum idea. I love the idea and definitely can see the benefits for readers, but I am a bit nervous about extra work and adding complexity to my website (I’m working behind the scenes on simplifying it). I’m running a forum for my course website and have found that additional software makes running a website more complex.

      I appreciate your thoughts and ideas!

      Reply
  61. Syed says

    January 18, 2017 at 5:36 am

    Excellent trick esp for me because it’s I find it impossible not to write looong rambling sentences 🙂 I loved the way you demonstrated the technique with examples!
    Using your technique, I’m trying to run an edit on my latest piece but the problem is that I’ve used 2-3 sentences for a single idea. Id possible, can you please help me with that. Here’s an example (among dozen other such instances):
    “Critics who were labeling the health-technology pair as a ‘fad’ have gone quiet. Technology-driven innovations in the healthcare space are here to stay. The number-crunchers have shown us that any innovation in the healthcare industry will not be possible without technology.”
    Thanks in advance and I always look forward to your tricks of the trade in my inbox.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 18, 2017 at 10:54 am

      Writing good sentences is not just about tightening, but also about transitions. Your sentences stand alone without giving a reader a hint how they’re connected. See more here: https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/transitional-phrases-and-sentences/

      Here’s one way to make the content smoother:

      Have you noticed nobody talks about health-technology as a ‘fad’ anymore? That’s because research has shown healthcare innovation is impossible without technology. For instance, … [add example of research results].

      Reply
      • Syed says

        January 18, 2017 at 1:14 pm

        Thank you very much! Your magical touch has made it ‘enchanting’!
        You’re right, I need connectors here.
        Thanks again 🙂

        Reply
  62. David Hartshorne says

    January 17, 2017 at 7:58 pm

    Hi Henneke,

    I love this: “You eliminate excess words to create an enjoyable rhythm and a pleasurable reader experience.” I think it sums up the whole post.

    The examples are excellent; they transform awkward sentences into precise points.

    Thanks again for the tips!
    – David

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 17, 2017 at 8:45 pm

      Thank you for your lovely comment, David. 🙂

      Happy writing!

      Reply
  63. Sue-Ann Bubacz says

    January 17, 2017 at 6:50 pm

    Oh Henneke:

    The tricky balance of black and white to color!

    I love this sentence, “Be careful you don’t chisel away the fascinating details and suck the life and energy out of your content.” (feel that coming out as a quote somewhere, sometime soon!) Because when I strip to essentials only, it sounds and feels dry and, frankly, not like me! And yet, editing is essential to great writing and learning how to write better.

    I suppose it comes down to playing (like we so love to do!) with words, mixing how they sound, how they feel, and how they mix with both your message and your voice. Hey, maybe that’s another quotable!! lol

    p.s. Love Henrietta’s sculpture. Clearly, that girl has talent:)) Oozing.

    Thanks for everything you do, Henneke, to keep inspiring each week!! Sue-Ann

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 17, 2017 at 8:44 pm

      Yes, writing is about expansion and shrinkage – balancing tightness but still having fascinating details. One thing to try is to create different versions of text. Take your draft and cut it by 25%, then cut it by another 25%. Leave the three versions and re-read them the next day. When you read the shortest version: do you feel something is missing? Have you sucked the energy out of it? Or is it actually the strongest version? If it’s not the strongest version, what is missing compared to the other versions? It’d be an interesting experiment. As you say, it’s a matter of playing to find out what you like.

      I also didn’t know about Henrietta’s hidden talent for sculpting;-)

      Reply
  64. Liz Bothwell says

    January 17, 2017 at 4:22 pm

    What a fabulous way to show readers your editing process! Love this.

    The end result is stronger sentences that make reader benefits the star. Bye weak words.

    Thanks, Henneke!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 17, 2017 at 7:44 pm

      Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Liz. I appreciate it.

      Bye bye weak words. Hello strong messages 🙂

      Reply
  65. Dhayanithi says

    January 17, 2017 at 3:44 pm

    Great Ideas to improve writing skills. I am indebted to you. Thank you so much for the sharing.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 17, 2017 at 7:43 pm

      You’re welcome 🙂

      Reply
  66. Jeff Korhan says

    January 17, 2017 at 2:56 pm

    Splash colors. I like that!

    And thanks for the neat trick: “Focusing on meaningful words helps you understand what your sentence should communicate.”

    I’ve used one like this in the past, but this is giving me new ideas.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 17, 2017 at 7:43 pm

      That makes me happy, Jeff 🙂

      Thank you for stopping by. Happy writing!

      Reply
  67. Katharine says

    January 17, 2017 at 2:28 pm

    Wow. This was helpful! Thanks, Henneke!
    I do “write tight”. (To which my daughter would add a soft “-ly”.) Ha!
    However, with the test I found when following your link to Helen Sword’s article, I discovered a leak in my tightness mold. Since my next article is scheduled to post in an hour, I ran most of it through the test. The improvement is exciting.
    And in the time I spent correcting one article, I feel I developed a knack for hearing unnecessary words, so maybe my writing will improve even more.
    I love killing two birds with one stone.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 17, 2017 at 7:42 pm

      Yeah, on writing tightly … my hunch is that “writing tight” has been used so often that it’s become acceptable? But I’m not sure whether I’m right. What do you think?

      I’m glad you enjoyed the Writer’s Diet test. I probably should have mentioned it in the post, too. I’m glad you made up for that and mentioned it in your comment. Great addition! 🙂

      Reply
      • Katharine says

        January 17, 2017 at 8:57 pm

        “Write tight” may be the name of a writers’ book. It rhymes. So it makes sense. It only grates on my daughter’s nerves for a moment. I like it. 😀

        I was super glad to find that test and am so thankful I followed the link. I don’t always. Thanks again!

        Reply
  68. Ray Khan says

    January 17, 2017 at 2:16 pm

    Hello Henneke,

    Your statue carving analogy is brilliant.

    I’ve been finding lately, that I am editing more of my writing to cut out the
    fat in sentences.

    edited version: Lately, I am editing my writing to cut out the fat in
    sentences.

    That’s an example. 🙂

    Great article I enjoyed with my Monday morning coffee.

    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 17, 2017 at 7:39 pm

      That’s another great example of how to tighten a sentence! 🙂

      Glad you enjoyed the analogy, Ray. Good to see you again!

      Reply
  69. Daniel Nyairo says

    January 17, 2017 at 1:58 pm

    I think this one and leaving out points that are obvious to the reader are a perfect match to making a sentence tight but just in the right way.

    Thanks for sharing practical tips

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 17, 2017 at 7:38 pm

      Happy writing, Daniel!

      Reply
  70. Alison Beere says

    January 17, 2017 at 1:09 pm

    Hi Henneke

    Happy New Year! I hope 2017 brings you health, joy and just enough challenge to make your life sparkle :). I’ve just started following you on Instagram, you are doing such beautiful lettering work there.

    I am amazed at how your ‘meaningful word’ exercises offer a super-streamlined way of editing. When I compare it to how I usually edit (wading through paragraphs, thinking very hard, feeling overwhelmed), I think adopting this approach will save me a lot of time and brain-pain :D.

    Thank you!
    Have a great week.

    Reply
    • Sue-Ann Bubacz says

      January 17, 2017 at 6:58 pm

      I love it, Alison! I feel your brain pain!!

      Take care and, shall we edit and write the Henneke way? The world will be a better place:) LOL

      Take care, Sue-Ann

      Reply
      • Alison says

        January 19, 2017 at 12:49 pm

        Yes, let’s write the Henneke way and leave brain pain for others 😉

        Reply
        • Henneke says

          January 20, 2017 at 1:07 pm

          When writing, I also suffer from brain pain sometimes. I don’t think it’s possible to eliminate all pain. Writing is also learning and thinking, and that can be hard. Even Stephen King says writing feels sometimes to him like “shoveling shit” (even when you’re doing good work!).

          But I do think we can make it a lot easier by breaking the process down in doable steps (and by understanding what’s blocking us).

          Reply
          • Alison says

            January 20, 2017 at 4:39 pm

            I agree that eliminating all pain is unrealistic. At the same time I definitely like breaking the process down, and figuring out what the blockages are.

            Reply
            • Henneke says

              January 20, 2017 at 8:12 pm

              Yes, that has really worked for me, trying to understand where I get stuck in the process and why, and then find tactics to deal with it.

              Happy writing, Alison!

              Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 17, 2017 at 7:37 pm

      Thank you for your compliment on my hand-lettering. I’m having a lot of fun and quite like Instagram so far (only dipping my toe in!). I might bring more of the handlettering to my blog here, but for now I’m happy to explore and share on Instagram.

      I think the trick with editing and not feeling overwhelmed is to focus on one problem at a time. So first, get your content right, before starting to tighten your sentences, and don’t worry about getting everything right (“right” doesn’t exist in writing anyway), focus on what you think will have the biggest impact on your writing.

      Good to see you again, Alison. Wishing you a sparkling 2017, too!

      Reply
  71. Sue Brettell says

    January 17, 2017 at 1:01 pm

    Brilliant, Henneke …I love how you illustrate your points so clearly. (So many bloggers spout (or worse, regurgitate) generalised advice without clarifying examples.)

    I still spend too much time writing long sentences and then carefully pruning them back, but this confirms that I’m on the right track. 😉

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 17, 2017 at 7:31 pm

      Yes, it is time-consuming, but I’ve found I’m going faster now as start recognizing patterns. If you’re pressed for time, perhaps try to focus on the most important parts of your content, so for a blog post: tighten the headline and subheads, plus the opening and closing paragraph. You can’t always edit everything.

      Good to see you again, Sue!

      Reply
  72. Chris says

    January 17, 2017 at 12:45 pm

    Neat article!

    I like the idea of starting with strong words instead of just eliminating weak ones.

    Switching focus often helps solving problems in general. In German this problem solving technique is called Flip-Flop-Technik. (so the term ,flip flop’ technique might exist in English …?)

    Instead of asking: How do I get more visitors to my website, simply ask: How can I keep people from visiting my website. And so on.

    Offers a complete new point of view.

    As your article did. So: Thanks as usual. 🙂

    I’ll definitely try this.

    Reply
    • Alison Beere says

      January 17, 2017 at 1:12 pm

      Hi Chris,

      I like the strong words idea, too. It’s easy to remember because it reminds me of the healthy eating advice: don’t focus on taking foods out of your diet, rather think about good foods you can add in!

      Henneke’s posts are always so actionable.

      Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 17, 2017 at 7:29 pm

      I love the idea of calling it the Flip-Flop technique and hadn’t thought of it as a creative method to solving problems. I like it. I’ve probably used it unconsciously, but now I’ll try to use it more often!

      The verb “to flipflop” also exists in English. It’s mostly associated with politicians changing their minds and making u-turns on policies.

      Thank you for your comment, Chris!

      Reply
  73. Kathy says

    January 17, 2017 at 12:38 pm

    What a brilliant way to look at editing for clarity! It’s so simple. And I love your comment “writing as tight as possible is not your aim”.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 17, 2017 at 12:44 pm

      Yes, I think we can get a little too obsessive with tightening our sentences. (I certainly suffer from obsessive tightening syndrome 😉 )

      But most readers don’t care too much about an excess word here or there, as long as the text feels good and the message is clear.

      Reply
      • Miracle says

        June 16, 2019 at 6:19 am

        Yet another sterling piece from Henneke. It’s fascinating how my writing has taken a lift since I started to read your articles. I get excited after every read. And feel like leaping into instant action. I also try to read more than once, to digest well. And make sure I didnt miss anything. Henneke, you are a real Gem!

        Reply
        • Henneke says

          June 17, 2019 at 4:53 pm

          Your comment makes me happy, Miracle.

          Happy writing!

          Reply

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