One great aim of revision is to cut out. In the exuberance…
“One great aim of revision is to cut out. In the exuberance of composition it is natural to throw in - as one does in speaking - a number of small words that add nothing to meaning but keep up the flow and rhythm of thought. In writing, not only does this surplusage not add to meaning, it subtracts from it. Read and revise, reread and revise, keeping reading and revising until your text seems adequate to your thought.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The quote urges removing unnecessary words that clutter writing, as they hinder clarity and dilute meaning, and to keep revising until the text matches the intended thought.
In simple terms: Trim excess words for clearer writing.
Key Takeaway
Edit ruthlessly for precision.
Themes
clarity
editing
conciseness
revision
style
Mood
focused
analytical
instructive
Type
advice
instructional
literary
When to use this quote
- academic essays
- business reports
- creative writing
- blog posts
- technical manuals
Key Concepts
economy of language
syntactic efficiency
thought expression
Questions to Reflect On
- What words can you delete without losing meaning?
- How does brevity affect reader engagement?
A Different Perspective
Over‑editing may strip voice or nuance.