The Short and Sweet of It: When the Right Word Is a Short Word

How do we say more with less? Can short, simple words make what we write so clear that the reader gets it? Or will it remind them of reading a child’s board book?

The truth is, short words bring power because they are easy to read, easy to grasp, and easy to recall. For instance:

Once upon a time…
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…. (A Tale of Two Cities)
Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. (Rebecca)
Marley was dead, to begin with. (A Christmas Carol)
If you build it, they will come. (Field of Dreams)
To be or not to be… (Shakespeare)
Seize the day!
I love you.
And so it goes.

In this book, the third in the Short and Sweet series, you’ll find a collection of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry on a variety of topics. They have two things in common: Each is about something that matters deeply to the writer, and with few exceptions (listed in the Introduction) each is written using only one-syllable words or words of fewer than six letters.

If you’ve always thought writers have to use long words to keep readers engaged, discover why it’s often a great idea to keep it Short and Sweet.