{"id":24865,"date":"2020-11-15T11:18:24","date_gmt":"2020-11-15T15:18:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/?p=24865"},"modified":"2023-12-27T12:03:59","modified_gmt":"2023-12-27T16:03:59","slug":"how-to-write-concisely-for-tight-copy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely-for-tight-copy\/","title":{"rendered":"How to write concisely for tight copy"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Polish your message to make it short and sweet<\/h2>\n<p>Too often, we cut our copy the hard way: a word at a time. If we need to cut 600 words, we peer through our prose until we find a candidate for cutting.<\/p>\n<p><em>There\u2019s one<\/em>, we say. <em>There\u2019s one. There\u2019s one<\/em>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_24866\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24866\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"24866\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely-for-tight-copy\/how-to-write-concisely\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely.png\" data-orig-size=\"600,300\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"how-to-write-concisely\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Short and sweet&lt;\/strong&gt; One way to write short content is to polish your message.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely-300x150.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely.png\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely.png\" alt=\"How to write concisely\" title=\"How to write concisely\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24866 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely.png 600w, https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely-300x150.png 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 600\/300;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"24866\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely-for-tight-copy\/how-to-write-concisely\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely.png\" data-orig-size=\"600,300\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"how-to-write-concisely\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Short and sweet&lt;\/strong&gt; One way to write short content is to polish your message.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely-300x150.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely.png\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely.png\" alt=\"How to write concisely\" title=\"How to write concisely\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24866\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely.png 600w, https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely-300x150.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-24866\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Short and sweet<\/strong> One way to write short content is to polish your message.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The rest of our lives later, we\u2019ve cut our copy by 600 words. But now we have a piece that\u2019s, while shorter, flat and lifeless. Elmore Leonard used to famously say:<\/p>\n<h5 class=\"standalone\">I like to leave out the parts people skip.<\/h5>\n<p>But with compression \u2014 polishing your piece a word at a time \u2014 we tend to take out the parts people read.\t<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s because the first thing to go when you\u2019re cutting a word at a time is the anecdotes. That\u2019ll save 50 words. Then the metaphors. That\u2019s 40.<\/p>\n<p>We want to write pieces that are an inch wide and a mile deep. We want to cover very little ground, but cover it fully. That\u2019s why <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/writing-tips\/what-is-readability\/short-content\/story-angle\/\">tightening your story<\/a> angle is so important. You don\u2019t have room in your blog post to cover a card catalog of information.<\/p>\n<p>So here are three ways to make polishing, or compression, work for you.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Avoid the trash compactor story.<\/h3>\n<p>At its worst, compression \u2014 polishing your piece a word at a time \u2014 can lead to a trash compactor story.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"24868\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely-for-tight-copy\/graphic_squeeze_01\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/graphic_squeeze_01.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"347,450\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"graphic_squeeze_01\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/graphic_squeeze_01-231x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/graphic_squeeze_01.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/graphic_squeeze_01.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"347\" height=\"450\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24868 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/graphic_squeeze_01.jpg 347w, https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/graphic_squeeze_01-231x300.jpg 231w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 347px) 100vw, 347px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 347px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 347\/450;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"24868\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely-for-tight-copy\/graphic_squeeze_01\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/graphic_squeeze_01.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"347,450\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"graphic_squeeze_01\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/graphic_squeeze_01-231x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/graphic_squeeze_01.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/graphic_squeeze_01.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"347\" height=\"450\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24868\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/graphic_squeeze_01.jpg 347w, https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/graphic_squeeze_01-231x300.jpg 231w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 347px) 100vw, 347px\" \/><\/noscript><\/p>\n<h5>\u201cMost writers, when ordered to write short, make the mistake of writing the garbage compactor story, compressing everything in the notebook into a hard, indigestible pellet of news.\u201d<\/h5>\n<h6>\u2014\u00a0 Donald M. Murray, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of <em>Writing to Deadline<\/em><\/h6>\n<p>Don\u2019t squeeze the life out of your piece. Sometimes, compression works about as well as Microsoft Word\u2019s AutoSummarize function. Here\u2019s what happens to, say, the Gettysburg Address when you click AutoSummarize:<\/p>\n<h5 class=\"standalone\">Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.<\/h5>\n<p>Yup, it\u2019s short. But you\u2019ve got to admit, it loses something in translation.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Cut first, polish second.<\/h3>\n<p>The solution to the trash compactor story? Cut first, polish second.<\/p>\n<p>You don\u2019t want to polish something in half. What if jewelers took polishing cloths to raw stones? That\u2019s not an efficient way to, say, get an emerald cut, and the results would probably be fairly disappointing. But pull out that polishing cloth <em>after<\/em> you cut the emerald into shape, and now you can make your jewel shiny and bright.<\/p>\n<p>Same thing\u2019s true with polishing your message. Cut first \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/writing-tips\/what-is-readability\/short-content\/story-angle\/\">tightening your story angle<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2020\/11\/break-up-copy-with-sidebars-boxes\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"\">breaking your message up<\/a> \u2014 to get the copy into shape. Then, when you\u2019re about 10% above your word count limit, polish the rest.<\/p>\n<p>The result: tight, bright copy.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Edit with a highlighter.<\/h3>\n<p>When I conduct writing workshops at Tellabs, I always learn as much as I teach.<\/p>\n<p>One day, watching the Tellabs team edit a press release during a practice session, I was surprised to see George Stenitzer, vice president of corporate communications, wielding a highlighter instead of a pencil. Instead of cutting words, phrases and ideas he wanted to remove from the piece, George was highlighting information he wanted to keep.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_24869\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24869\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"24869\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely-for-tight-copy\/edit-with-a-highlighter\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/edit-with-a-highlighter.png\" data-orig-size=\"600,300\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"edit-with-a-highlighter\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit with a highlighter&lt;\/strong&gt; Focus on what you want to keep, not what you want to remove.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/edit-with-a-highlighter-300x150.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/edit-with-a-highlighter.png\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/edit-with-a-highlighter.png\" alt=\"Edit with a highlighter\" title=\"Edit with a highlighter\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24869 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/edit-with-a-highlighter.png 600w, https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/edit-with-a-highlighter-300x150.png 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 600\/300;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"24869\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/2020\/11\/how-to-write-concisely-for-tight-copy\/edit-with-a-highlighter\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/edit-with-a-highlighter.png\" data-orig-size=\"600,300\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"edit-with-a-highlighter\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit with a highlighter&lt;\/strong&gt; Focus on what you want to keep, not what you want to remove.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/edit-with-a-highlighter-300x150.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/edit-with-a-highlighter.png\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/edit-with-a-highlighter.png\" alt=\"Edit with a highlighter\" title=\"Edit with a highlighter\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24869\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/edit-with-a-highlighter.png 600w, https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/edit-with-a-highlighter-300x150.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-24869\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Edit with a highlighter<\/strong> Focus on what you want to keep, not what you want to remove.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s a great technique, because it focuses you on finding what you need instead of what you want to scrap. Think of it as Marie Kondo-ing your message: Instead of leaving all of your clothes in your closet and auditioning which should go out, take everything out of your closet and audition each garment to get back into your closet.<\/p>\n<p>Forget Strunk and White: Instead of omitting needless words, identify needed words.<\/p>\n<h5>\u201cI use a highlighter to pluck a simple message from a sea of complexity.\u201d<\/h5>\n<h6>\u2014 George Stenitzer, vice president of corporate communications, Tellabs<\/h6>\n<p>Having stolen George\u2019s technique, I\u2019ve come to believe that highlighting needed words is more effective than omitting needless words. It gets you there faster.<\/p>\n<p>I think it will work for you, too.<\/p>\n<p>(See how artist <a href=\"https:\/\/austinkleon.com\/category\/newspaper-blackout-poems\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Austin Kleon writes with an eraser<\/a> \u2014 or, in his case, a black marker.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Learn more<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Remember, corporate communications writing isn\u2019t academic writing or business writing. Here\u2019s how to handle your:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/writing-tips\/what-is-readability\/ideal-sentence-length\/\"><strong>Wordy sentences<\/strong><\/a>: How to remove every extra word<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/writing-tips\/what-is-readability\/how-to-avoid-passive-voice\/\"><strong>Passive sentences<\/strong><\/a>: How to turn passive voice into active voice<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/revvingupreadership.com\/2022\/07\/how-to-write-simple-sentences\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Sentence structure<\/strong><\/a>: How to write with the fewest words<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/writing-tips\/writing-process\/\"><strong>Writing process<\/strong><\/a>: When to get rid of unnecessary words<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id='MMC-Clear' class='widgets_on_page wop_tiny1  wop_small1  wop_medium1  wop_large1  wop_wide1'>\n\t\t\t<ul><li id=\"custom_html-81\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html\"><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><a title=\"Clear-writing workshop, a mini master class\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/corporate-communications-training\/mini-master-classes-home\/clear-writing-course\/\" target=\"\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/clear-writing-training-mmc.png\" alt=\"Clear-writing workshop, a mini master class\" title=\"Clear-writing workshop, a mini master class\" width=\"auto\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 250px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 250\/250;float:left; text-align:left; margin: 0 auto; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18x; line-height: 22px; padding: 0px; color: #FFFFFF; max-width:100%; max-height:100%;\" class=\"img-max lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/clear-writing-training-mmc.png\" alt=\"Clear-writing workshop, a mini master class\" title=\"Clear-writing workshop, a mini master class\" width=\"auto\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" style=\"float:left; text-align:left; margin: 0 auto; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 18x; line-height: 22px; padding: 0px; color: #FFFFFF; max-width:100%; max-height:100%;\" class=\"img-max\"><\/noscript><\/a><h3>Reach more readers with tight writing<\/h3>\r\n\t\r\n<p>Would your piece be twice as good if it were half as long? Yes, say readability experts.<\/p>\r\n\t\r\n<p>So how long should your message be? Your paragraphs? Your sentences? Your words? What reading ease level should you hit?<\/p>\r\n\t\r\n<p>Learn how to write clearer, more concise messages at our <a title=\"Clear-writing workshop, a mini master class\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/corporate-communications-training\/mini-master-classes-home\/clear-writing-course\/\" target=\"\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>clear-writing course<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"btn btn--depth\" style=\"text-align: center;  margin: 10px 0 20px; width:100%;\"><a id=\"btnTT\" style=\"\" title=\"BOOK NOW\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/corporate-communications-training\/mini-master-classes-home\/clear-writing-course\/\" target=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-width=\"91\">BOOK NOW<\/a>\r\n<!-- [if mso]>\r\n<p style=\"line-height:0;margin:0;\"><v:roundrect xmlns:v=\"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wyliecomm.com\/corporate-communications-training\/mini-master-classes-home\/clear-writing-course\/\" style=\"width:153px\" arcsize=\"8%\" strokecolor=\"#D96237\" filled=\"t\"><v:fill type=\"gradient\" angle=\"180\" color=\"#f16522\" color2=\"#f16522\"><\/v:fill><v:textbox style=\"mso-fit-shape-to-text:t\" inset=\"0px,11px,0px,11px\"><center style=\"font-size:16px;line-height:24px;color:#FFFFFF;font-family:sans-serif;font-weight:bold;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;mso-text-raise:4px\">BOOK NOW<\/center><\/v:textbox><\/v:roundrect><\/p>\r\n<![endif]--><\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><!-- widgets_on_page -->\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Polish your message to make it short and 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