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TED Business

How to write less but say more | Jim VandeHei

Dec 25, 2023
Jim VandeHei, co-founder of Politico and Axios, shares insights on the importance of brevity in writing and communication in a distracted digital world. He discusses the perils of information overload, the benefits of concise language, and the impact of excessive jargon on communication and status.
19:48

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Delivering information efficiently and concisely through 'smart brevity' helps capture people's attention in a distracted digital world.
  • Clear communication that prioritizes simplicity and avoids unnecessary complexity is crucial in effectively conveying ideas and information.

Deep dives

The Power of Smart Brevity in Communication

Jim Vandehi, CEO of Axios, discusses the need to radically rethink communication in the digital age. He highlights that people's attention spans have dramatically decreased, and most of what is written and communicated goes unread. Vandehi emphasizes the importance of delivering information efficiently and concisely. He introduces the concept of 'smart brevity,' which focuses on providing essential content quickly. He shares how Axios successfully implemented this approach and received positive feedback from readers. Vandehi gives practical tips for effective communication, including considering the needs of the audience, grabbing attention with key messages, keeping it simple, and writing in a human and relatable manner.

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