Cut Modesty and Hedging

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You should cut statements that suggest modesty, phrases such as I think, I feel, I believe, in my opinion, and it seems to me. What do phrases like these tell readers that they don't already know? You wrote whatever they're reading; therefore, the piece must reflect your opinion--right? So cut modesty!
 

Also cut hedging. Sometimes you'll need to qualify points, there's no doubt about that. But when it's overdone, you're hedging. You'll find yourself using words and phrases such as for the most part, more or less, somewhat, rather, as it were, and virtually. You might even write a passage like this.

In my opinion the registration procedures at this college virtually require more discipline to complete than academic courses. For the most part, it seems to me, each of us is subjected to standing for hours in lines that twist from steamy registration bungalows into the cement quad beneath the blazing sun. I feel the situation is not only unhealthy, but also somewhat inhuman.

Do you feel the power of the passage? It's there, but hard to sense because of the excess language. If we "cut the fat," cut all the modesty and hedging, the energy comes through.

The registration procedures at this college require more discipline to complete than academic courses. Each of us is subjected to standing for several hours in lines that twist from steamy registration bungalows into the cement quad beneath the blazing sun. The situation is not only unhealthy, but also inhuman.

Now the passage has more impact and reads faster. When you can cut the clutter from your prose, the result will be writing that has power and speed, and is ultimately more convincing.