When I write, I keep two primary principles in mind. First, I use as few words as necessary to convey an idea. Second, I ensure that every sentence is sequenced in the correct order. If a word is not ...

How can you create a balance between short and long sentences, and how does that change the flow of ideas in your writing? This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences ...

If two examples constitute a trend, then a movement is afoot among editors to encourage short writing. It began at The Washington Post, where an editor argued that many stories could be tighter.

Short sentences are most effective when used rarely; continually using short sentences creates stilted, awkward prose. However, neither should you start writing paragraph-long sentences! Rather, you ...

When I took this assignment three years ago, moving my column to the top of Page A2 and writing six times a week instead of once, my editors told me I could write about anything I wanted. Just do it ...

It was a delight to read Brenda Cronin’s “Brevity: Or, the Soul of Wit” (op-ed, Oct. 12). As a writing coach for more years than I care to count, I have been drumming into rookie brains the value of ...

“As for how to write well,” writes Paul Graham, “here’s the short version: Write a bad version 1 as fast as you can; rewrite it over and over; cut out everything unnecessary.” It’s all too easy to ...

Writing is not like assembling IKEA furniture: You can’t build your skills by reading an instruction manual and then viola, product assembled. Particularly in fiction, you largely learn by doing.

Combine short choppy sentences to create smoother prose. Short sentences are effective when used rarely; continually using short sentences creates stilted, awkward prose. I am not advocating paragraph ...