Revising for content, not form, and removing any irrelevant information

Lesson Summary

• Being succinct is about form and content too.
• Aim to remove as many ideas as you can from your draft.  
• Use the checklist for conceptual revision. 

Link to Fabio’s article about the proudest 3-word sentence he wrote in his book (you heard him read out a passage from it).

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• Downloadables: Simple checklist for conceptual revision

• Am I satisfied with my introduction? Does it make the reader want to read the rest of the piece?
• Am I happy with how I sequenced the ideas? Are they sequenced logically?
• Have I forgotten any important points?
• What other ideas or information could I add?
• Are there any sections that need more/less elaboration?
• Could I include (more or better) examples that will make my point clearer?
• Can I include a (personal) story to better illustrate a point?
• Are there any sentences that don’t seem to say much?
• Is there any part of my writing that feels redundant? Can I cut that part?
• What other ideas could I remove?
• Have I contradicted myself somewhere in the piece?
• Have I used any terms (e.g., acronyms) that my reader might not understand?
• Do I give away too much information in my headings? Might the reader skip reading the sections because of this? If so, how can I make them more “mysterious” without compromising SEO?

Writing task: Draft your piece + Conceptual revision