What Makes Writing Succinct?

What Makes Writing Succinct?

Here is a student sample of some very concise writing that Dr. Carolyn received this semester from a student in her Introduction to Gender and Society course. Please read it.

Then make a copy of this Google Doc. On it, identify five (5) ways why this writer was so successful due to the writing style incorporated.

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Item	Why this item made the writing succinct
Short quotations	Using short quotations ensures that the flow of the author’s writing is not interrupted. The quote “claimed her feminist label” in particular was succinct and effective. Even the longer quotes are not too long and do not interrupt the flow or style of the author’s piece.
Use of strong adverbs and adjectives	The author chooses a wide variety of “good,” strong word choices to evoke powerful imagery. It not only helps with the succinctity but also the clarity of the images and feelings portrayed. Her description of the woman, “striking fair skin and blue eyes” makes this image pop. The sentence about squeezing into a box makes me think of her actually struggling to fit into society’s “box.” The words and imagery about her teenage years and the media’s images made me feel the overwhelmedness and anxiety the author was trying to convey.
Figurative language	The author uses many different figurative language tools: “her body raging with hormones” ; “filling her underdeveloped mind” ; “splashed photos” strengthens the tone and message of the piece.
Use of mainly active voice	Using active voice really strengthens a writing piece. It is more commanding and when paired with the rest of the author’s word choice, paints a clear, emotional picture of what this woman experienced.
Flow of long and short sentences	I felt very engrossed while reading this piece and a lot of it had to do with the flow of the writing. A balance in sentence length is key to flow and keeps the reader engaged. Too many short sentences and the writing appears blunt and choppy. Whereas too many long sentences decreases clarity and reader engagement.