Clear, Concise, Complete

The secret of good writing is not in knowing what to put in, but in knowing what to leave out.

   The three C's of good writing are these: Clear, Concise and Complete, and the goal of writing is to communicate an idea, a message or information to others or to preserve it for posterity.
   If readers don't grasp or understand what you write, you have failed to reach your goal.
   Writing for broadcast news is harder, because you have only one chance to communicate your idea or message. In print, if readers fail to grasp the message immediately, they can go back to the beginning of the sentence or paragraph and read it again, several times if need be, until they fully understand.
   Don't make them do that, because they may decide it's not worth the effort. Therefore you, the writer, have failed in your mission.
   Broadcast writing does not have the luxury of a second read.
   Here, then, is where the Three C's of good writing form a useful guideline. It is often a challenge to be concise and complete even as your message must be clear.
   But the secret is not in knowing what to put in, but in knowing what to leave out.
   Ask any headline writer, whose job it is to convey in six or ten words the essence of a story that may go to a thousand words when all the details and supporting information is included.