Business writing – less is more

One of the first rules of business writing is to be concise.

Do you know someone who’s a bit of a wind-bag? Then you might appreciate this little article I found down the back of the internet:

Pythagorean theorem:………………………………………24 words.

Lord’s prayer:………………………………………………….66 words.

Archimedes’ Principle:……………………………………..67 words.

Ten Commandments:……………………………………..179 words.

Gettysburg Address:………………………………………..286 words.

US Declaration of Independence ……………………..1,300 words.

US Constitution with all 27 Amendments:…………..7,818 words.

EU Regulations on the sale of cabbage:…………….26,911 words

Thanks to Paul Lewis, Acting Director of Communications at the RSPB, and Andy Maslen of Sunfish Ltd for this.

Do you have any similar examples to share?

Jakki

PS To learn how to write more clearly and concisely, check out my Business Writing Skills course.