Smart brevity

A sign hangs on the wall in the Axios offices: Brevity is confídence. Length is fear. These six words sum up a system and strategy for how to think more sharply, communicate more crisply and say a lot more with a lot less. Developed by seasoned journalists who saw how little a typical news reader actually reads, Smart Brevity will make you a more forceful communicator. Whether you’re writing newsletters, emails, stories, speeches, presentations, tweets or posts, you’ll become more effective, efficient and memorable. Start by learning how to create a muscular tease—the thing that willgrabyour readers attention. How to craft a “lede”—a direct, short and sharp opening sentence. How to make sure readers know why it matters and how to prioritize and boil down your most important points. There are dozens of tips for choosing the right words, kicking bad habits (irony, anecdotes) and focusing on the ONE readeryoure trying to reach and the ONE thing you want them to remember. And rules of thumb, including: If you hadn’t written it, would you still read it? But the most important Smart Brevity rule of all? Put the needs of your audience first. If you don’t, you ve got no chance of catching—and holding—their attention.