Brevity in writing is very powerful

I love this quote from French mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal (1623-1662).

“I have only made this letter longer because I have not had the time to make it shorter.”

(Letter 16, 1657)

Painting of Blaise Pascal made by François II Quesnel for Gérard Edelinck in 1691 (from Wiki page)

To condense one’s writing down to, say, one third of its original volume is a very difficult task. There are parts that the author is very reluctant to omit. This is where a strong, yet understanding, editor proves to be invaluable.

The resultant passage of writing can become much more powerful than the original, creating greater impact on the reader.

That is all I have to say on the matter!