10 Actionable Techniques to Enhance Clarity (Without Losing Brevity)

Let’s be honest. Writing in the real world doesn’t come with a pause button. Emails, updates, notes, and quick documents pile up faster than we can catch typos. That’s why we don’t always have time to polish every sentence. But what if we could build habits that make our everyday writing clearer and sharper by default?

This article offers ten practical techniques to help you write clearly, without dragging things out. These aren't rules to memorize; they're tools you can reach for when your writing starts to feel foggy, cluttered, or just too much.

As a follow up to our previous article, we will delve deeper and explore practical techniques to ensure your writing remains both clear and concise.

One Thought, One Sentence

Combining multiple ideas into one sentence often dilutes clarity. Readers find it challenging to identify and retain key points in lengthy sentences. That’s why breaking ideas into separate sentences is a good practice. It ensures that each thought stands out clearly and distinctly, thereby allowing easier comprehension and retention.

Instead of:

The marketing team finalized the Q3 budget and is preparing a deck for leadership next week, which will include revised numbers and projections.

Try:

The marketing team finalized the Q3 budget. They're now preparing next week's leadership deck, which will feature revised numbers and projections.

Do you see the difference? Which one is easier to digest?

Front-Load Your Messages

Research suggests that readers skim first, then decide whether to engage deeply. Using the Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) strategy places your main point at the beginning, immediately capturing attention and clearly stating your intention. Doing this not only helps the reader understand your point more easily, but also keeps them engaged.

Let’s apply BLUF. Start with your key point.

I need your approval on the updated budget by tomorrow.

Then provide supporting details.

The revised figures are attached. Let me know if anything needs adjustment.

Imagine if you started with the other information first. The reader might be confused as to why they need to read through pages of reports. Worse, they might stop reading altogether and end up not taking the necessary action.

True story: I once experienced this with a new hire. I received from him probably the longest email ever, and I was left with more questions rather than answers. In the middle of a busy week, I ended up calling him to my workstation and asked, “What was the email for? What was I supposed to do with all the materials you attached?” When he finished answering, I blurted, “Yeah, you probably should have started with that.”

Cut the Filler

Fillers add bulk without meaning and slow the reader’s understanding. I know many of us padded our essays back in high school and college to comply with the word requirement, but professional writing is different. Our colleagues simply don’t have the time to go through unreasonably long messages or reports.

Removing these and similar phrases can enhance the speed and clarity of your message.

• In order to → to

• At this point in time → now

• Due to the fact that → because

• It is important to note that → (state the point directly)

• For the purpose of → to

• In the event that → if

For example, we can turn this:

We are currently in the process of updating our website in order to attract more customers.

Into this to tighten our writing:

We’re updating our website to attract more customers.

Spot and Eliminate Hidden Repetition

Repetition often creeps in when we're trying to sound persuasive or comprehensive. But piling on similar words rarely strengthens your point. Instead, it usually waters the message down. When you repeat an idea using synonyms or redundant phrasing, it distracts the reader and creates unnecessary noise in your message. Instead of reinforcing your point, it may signal uncertainty or a lack of confidence in the strength of your message.

Cut what you can. Choose the strongest word and trust it to carry the meaning. Often, your first instinct is enough and adding more just muddies the point.

To do this, look for:

·      Words that say the same thing in different ways (e.g., "varied and diverse").

·      Adjectives that stack up but don’t add precision (e.g., "clear, concise, and to-the-point")

·      Sentences that echo the same idea across multiple clauses

So, instead of:
Our software is revolutionary, innovative, and unlike anything currently available.

Go with:
Our software is unlike anything currently available.

Specificity Beats Lengthy Explanations

Specificity is what gives writing its bite. While vague descriptions often force the reader to guess or infer, specific details make ideas land faster and more memorably. They allow the reader to see what you mean rather than having to decode your intent.

Vague writing usually signals that the writer is explaining around an idea instead of stating it clearly. It often results in longer sentences and unnecessary qualifiers.

A simple trick: Swap general statements for concrete facts such as names, numbers, timeframes, and direct observations.

Take this sentence for example:
Several users have expressed concerns about the application process.

When we make it specific, it sends a stronger and clearer message:
Three users reported confusion with the application form last week.

Adopt the Sentence + Phrase Purpose Test

Each sentence or phrase should have a clear, intentional purpose. According to clarity expert William Zinsser in his book On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction, concise writing requires ruthless editing to remove non-essential sentences or phrases. Constantly ask yourself:

• Does this sentence or phrase move my reader forward?

• Does it add essential information, tone, or context?

• Would anything be lost if I deleted it?

If the answer is no, edit or remove it.

Take a look at this paragraph:

The Q2 marketing campaign launched on schedule, which was a major milestone for the team. We’re really proud of how everything came together. There were a few delays early on, but overall things went smoothly. It’s also worth noting that the team worked nights and weekends. This kind of dedication is rare and should be celebrated. In conclusion, we learned a lot from the experience and hope to apply these lessons to Q3.

We can edit it to a simpler and shorter one:

The Q2 marketing campaign launched on schedule—a major milestone for the team. Despite early delays, the project ran smoothly, thanks to strong team effort. We’ll apply key lessons to improve Q3 planning.

Why were cuts made?

• We’re really proud… → Emotion is fine, but it didn’t add meaning or context.

• It’s also worth noting… → It’s a redundant setup that delays the point.

• This kind of dedication is rare… → A nice sentiment, but off-topic if the focus is project delivery.

• In conclusion… → Obvious and unnecessary in a short paragraph.

Use Active Voice for Impact

This is one of the first things that stuck with me in elementary English class. And I practice it to this day.

Active voice makes writing clear and direct by putting the subject up front doing the action, rather than having the action “happen to” the subject.

In active voice, the sentence follows a natural structure: Subject → Verb → Object

Example: The manager reviewed and approved the report.

In passive voice, the object of the action becomes the focus, often burying the subject or leaving it out entirely:

Example: The report was reviewed and approved by the manager.

While both sentences technically convey the same facts, the passive version is longer, less direct, and often harder to follow. In professional writing, this subtle shift can create distance or confusion—especially when the subject is unclear or intentionally omitted.

Embrace Bullet Points and Lists

Big blocks of text can overwhelm the reader. On the other hand, bullet points break information into bite-sized chunks, making content easier to scan, understand, and remember.

According to a usability research by the Nielsen Norman Group, people rarely read word-for-word online. Instead, they scan for structure and keywords. That’s why bullet points help readers:

·       Spot important details quickly

·       Follow sequences or steps more easily

·       Retain more of what they read

See what I did there?

Use bullet points when you’re:

·       Listing items, actions, or ideas

·       Outlining steps or priorities

·       Summarizing takeaways or highlights

·       Breaking up dense information

Avoid bullet points that are too long, vague, or inconsistently formatted.

Avoid Jargon, Buzzwords, and Acronyms

It may seem obvious, but many professionals still fall into this trap, especially when writing external-facing correspondences and reports.

Excessive jargon, trendy buzzwords, and unfamiliar acronyms create confusion rather than clarity. While they might seem impressive, these terms often alienate readers who are not familiar with them. Replace jargon and buzzwords with clear, plain language, and define acronyms upon first use.

Consider the following. Would you agree that the second sentence is clearer?

1st: We're leveraging agile methodologies to streamline our UX/UI design process.

2nd: We're using agile methods to simplify our user experience and interface design process.

Use Pronouns with Precision

Pronouns like he, she, it, this, that, they, and those can create confusion when the reader isn’t sure what you're referring to. In casual conversation, context, tone, or gestures usually fill in the gaps, but in writing, that ambiguity can derail the message.

When in doubt, clarify the noun, even if it means being a little repetitive.

As an example:

The team revised the proposal and sent it to leadership. They approved it immediately.

Who approved what? The team or leadership?

Now try:

The team revised the proposal and sent it to leadership. Leadership then approved it immediately.

It may sound slightly repetitive, but it removes any guesswork and improves clarity.

Tip: Read through your draft and ask, “If I didn’t write this, would I know who ‘they’ or ‘it’ refers to?” If the answer is no, revise.

Clarity isn’t about dumbing things down. It’s about choosing what matters. It’s about writing in a way that respects your reader’s time, sharpens your ideas, and leaves no one guessing what you mean.

When you take the time to be clear, you’re not just improving your writing. You’re also strengthening the way you communicate, collaborate, and lead. And like any skill, it gets better with practice. So keep showing up and keep writing.

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