Sometimes Good Writing Means Leaving Something Out

 

When we write, we naturally want to include everything we know.

After all, we spent time learning it. Why leave something out?

Because your reader doesn't need everything you know.

They need what helps them understand the point—and sometimes they need a reason to keep reading.

More Information Isn't Always Better

It is easy to believe that adding more information makes an article more valuable.

Sometimes it does.

But sometimes it simply makes the article longer.

A reader can become buried under information and lose the very point you wanted them to remember.

Good writing isn't about putting everything on the page.

It's about putting the right things on the page.

Think About Your Favorite Series

Have you ever started watching a television series and told yourself, "I'll just watch one episode"?

Then several hours later you realize you've watched half the season.

Why?

Because the writers didn't give you everything at once.

They answered one question and created another.

They solved one problem and left you wondering what would happen next.

They left you hanging.

And you clicked Next Episode.

That same principle can work in your writing.

Give the Reader a Reason to Continue

You don't have to end every paragraph with a cliffhanger.

But you can leave the reader with a question, an idea, or something they want to know more about.

For example:

You answer:

"Why aren't people reading my blog?"

Then you introduce another question:

"But what makes someone stay once they start reading?"

Now the reader has a reason to continue.

Don't Confuse This With Withholding Information

Leaving something out doesn't mean frustrating your reader.

If someone needs an answer to understand your main point, give it to them.

The goal isn't to hide information.

The goal is to control the pace of discovery.

Give the reader enough to satisfy their curiosity—and enough to create the next question.

Your Reader Doesn't Need Your Entire Journey

You may have spent hours researching a subject.

Your reader probably doesn't need to see all those hours.

They need the result of your work.

Think of it like giving directions.

You don't need to tell someone every road you considered before choosing the best route.

You simply give them the route that gets them where they need to go.

Editing Is Sometimes Subtraction

We often think editing means fixing sentences.

It also means removing them.

A shorter article isn't automatically a better article.

But an article where every sentence has a purpose is usually stronger than one filled with information simply because the writer had it.

Final Thought

Think about that television series again.

You didn't watch episode after episode because every episode answered every question.

You kept watching because you wanted to know what happened next.

Good writing can do the same thing.

Give your reader an answer.

Then give them a reason to ask another question.

Sometimes the best way to keep a reader is to leave them hanging—just enough to make them want to turn the page.

 

Your First Draft Doesn't Have to Be Good

One of the things that can keep a writer from writing is expecting the first draft to be good.

It doesn't have to be.

The first draft has a different job.

Its job is to get the ideas out of your head and onto the page.

Write Before You Edit

Trying to write and edit every sentence at the same time can slow you down.

You write a sentence.

You change it.

You change it again.

Then you wonder where the idea went.

Sometimes you have to let the first draft be messy.

Get the thought down first.

You can improve it later.

Your Ideas Need Somewhere to Start

A good article often begins with a rough thought.

It may not have the perfect opening.

The paragraphs may not be in the right order.

You may even discover that your original idea wasn't quite what you thought it was.

That's okay.

Writing helps you discover what you actually think.

Editing Is Where the Article Takes Shape

Once the ideas are on the page, you can step back and look at them.

Now you can ask:

• Does this make sense?

• Is the main point clear?

• Does anything need to be removed?

• Is something missing?

• Is the order right?

That's when the article begins to take shape.

Don't Confuse Rough With Bad

A rough first draft isn't a failed article.

It's unfinished.

There's a big difference.

A carpenter doesn't look at a pile of lumber and complain that it isn't a finished table.

The materials have to be there before the table can be built.

Your first draft is the material.

Give Yourself Permission to Rewrite

Sometimes the best sentence in an article doesn't appear until the second or third draft.

Sometimes you discover a better opening after you've written the ending.

That's part of writing.

You don't have to get everything right the first time.

Final Thought

Don't wait until you know exactly how the article should sound before you begin.

Start writing.

Get the ideas down.

Then improve them.

The first draft isn't supposed to be the finished article. It's supposed to give you something to work with.

 

Answer the Question Your Reader Is Really Asking

Every reader comes to an article with a question.

Sometimes they know exactly what that question is.

Sometimes they don't.

As a writer, one of the most useful things you can learn is how to discover that question and answer it.

The Question Behind the Question

A reader may search for:

“How do I write a better blog post?”

But what they may really be asking is:

“Why aren't people reading what I write?”

Those are two different questions.

If you answer only the first one, you may give good information without solving the reader's real problem.

Listen for the Problem

Before you start writing, ask:

What is my reader trying to accomplish?

Then ask:

What is keeping them from accomplishing it?

Those questions can change the entire article.

Instead of simply giving information, you begin helping someone.

Don't Assume Your Reader Knows What You Know

This is one of the easiest mistakes for experienced writers to make.

You know the subject so well that you forget what it was like not to know it.

A term that seems obvious to you may be completely unfamiliar to your reader.

Explain what needs explaining.

There is no shame in making something simple.

That's your job as the writer.

Let Questions Shape the Article

Questions can also give your article a natural structure.

For example:

• What is the problem?

• Why does it happen?

• What can I do about it?

• What should I do first?

Now you have a path for the reader to follow.

You don't have to force a complicated structure onto the article.

The reader's questions can provide the structure for you.

Give the Reader Something Useful

A good article should leave the reader with more than information.

They should have something they can understand, use, or think about after they finish reading.

That's when writing becomes useful.

Final Thought

Don't begin every article by asking,

“What do I want to write about?”

Try asking,

“What does my reader need to know?”

That small change in thinking can make a big difference in your writing.

You aren't simply filling a page.

You're helping someone find an answer.

 

The Measure of Good Writing

Many writers measure their work by how much information they include.

The better question is this:

Did the reader understand the message?

Writing is not a contest to see who knows the most. It is an opportunity to help someone else learn, understand, or solve a problem.

Knowledge Isn't the Goal

A writer may know a great deal about a subject, but if readers leave confused, the writing has missed its purpose.

Knowledge is valuable.

Communication is essential.

The goal is not to impress readers with what you know. The goal is to leave them understanding something they didn't understand before.

Put the Reader First

As you write, imagine someone sitting across the table from you.

Would you explain everything at once?

Probably not.

You would explain one point, make sure they understood it, and then move to the next.

Writing should work the same way.

Every Sentence Should Help

As you review your article, ask yourself:

• Does this sentence make the point clearer?

• Does it answer a question the reader may have?

• Does it move the discussion forward?

If the answer is no, consider removing it.

Clear writing is often the result of careful editing.

Understanding Is Success

Readers may not remember every sentence you write.

They will remember the ideas they understood.

That's why simple examples, clear organization, and everyday language are so important.

When readers understand, they gain confidence.

When they gain confidence, they come back.

Final Thought

The measure of good writing is not the number of words you publish.

It is the number of readers who finish your article and say,

"Now I understand."

If your writing helps someone reach that point, you've accomplished something worthwhile.