Too Many Words Spoil the Broth

Too many writers make the mistake of using too many words and take too long to get to the point.

Making your reader wade through unnecessary words runs the risk of losing that reader, maybe before he or she gets to the second paragraph.

Good writing is simple and to the point. State what you want to say with a minimum of words, and unless you're writing a novel, start with a lead designed to draw the reader in and give the most important news first. Then add more information in an upside-down pyramid style, with the second-most-important news, then the  third, and so on.

And if you are writing a novel, removing unnecessary words is even more important to add momentum and encourage the reader to continue.