Concise Writing

I recently read a professor’s article telling how he assigned his MBA students to submit a 5 page paper. He then returned it and had them cover the same points in 4 pages, then 3 pages, 2 and finally to summarize it in one page.

I’m sure his students grumbled at that assignment and claimed it wasn’t possible. But he was teaching them a very valuable skill- how to say more with fewer words. Everyone today experiences information overload including the people you send letters and emails to. If you can develop the habit of concise writing the chance of your message getting read greatly increases.

The next time you compose an email, memo, or letter try reading it twice before you send it to see if there is a way to say it with fewer words. There almost certainly will be.

As Christians we have an important message. Let’s learn to communicate it right, so we redeem the time.

Rick Grubbs is best known as the host of “Redeeming the Time,” a one-minute radio program featured on hundreds of radio outlets around the world. He has spoken thousands of times on Biblical time management in all 50 states and 26 other countries. He is the author of the book “Morning Momentum: God’s plan for launching an unstoppable day”. He and his wife Carrie live in Salisbury NC with several of their 12 children.

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