Powerful writers are not born…they are made. While tackling the task of creating profound impact with your words can seem daunting at best and terrifying at worst, you can be sure that with practice, you will be able to turn your sentences into art. Words are one of the most powerful things known to man ⸺ and learning how to wield them well can save you time, cost, and amplify your messaging to entirely new levels. In this article, we cover how you can reduce redundancy in your writing, as well as three additional steps that you can take today to become a better writer.  

How to reduce redundancy in your writing  

While this seems simple enough, there are many hidden sources of redundancy in our writing that can detract from our powerful points. The most common culprit of this is the overuse of adverbs. Adverbs are tools that help to describe the verb that is actioned in a sentence, and introduce the reader to a richer experience and understanding of your book’s universe.  

An example of adverbs in overuse include:  

• She extremely angrily slammed the phone down, bumping the vase both aggrevatedly and markedly.  

While this may seem obviously wrong, this trap is all too easy for writers to fall into as they seek to build their world and character constructs. It also presents layers of redundancy. Other examples of redundancy look like:  

• Maria cried sadly, looking over the horizons.  
• “NO!” John shouted loudly and angrily, bellowing.  

Crying already gives a sad connotation, and shouting is already understood to be loud. Instead, you can opt for clarity, and simplify your sentences. See below:  

• Maria wept, looking out at the horizon. She missed home.  
• “NO!” John shouted, dashing across the room.  

3 Steps to better writing  

On the journey to becoming a better writer, it’s important to understand that you will always see opportunities for improvement. With this understanding in mind, there are several methods that you can implement today to give your writing an instant face lift. Below are three steps that you can use to better your writing:  

1. Expand your vocabulary 

Spending equal time reading as you do writing can be extremely beneficial for your writing skills. Reading helps you to enrich your vocabulary, which becomes evident in your writing. Complex words can complicate your piece, but they can also present ways of being more concise throughout your work ⸺ making your writing more impactful.  

2. Review grammar rules 

Understanding and using grammar correctly can improve your writing drastically. Now, it is even easier to do this thanks to plugins such as Grammarly. Reviewing the ever-changing rules of diction can help you to create compelling content that is easy to understand.  

3. Simplify wherever possible 

Your goal in writing should be to say the most with as little words as possible. Reducing instances of redundancy can help with this goal, and this will happen naturally as you gain experience creating content.