To edit out this sentence, it could be reduced to this: “This paragraph explains why the schedule changed.” That version means the same thing but gives the reader the message more quickly. Cutting words doesn’t mean making sentences shorter. It means removing words that get in the way, saying something again, or turning a specific action into a vague description.
You might notice that sometimes your writing packs the verb into a noun. You might write “make a decision,” “provide an explanation,” or “conduct a review” instead of just “decide,” “explain,” or “review.” A long lead-in phrase to your sentence can be distracting, too. For example, “The draft contains repetition” is often better than “It is important to note that the draft contains repetition.” The shorter version is easier to read since the subject and verb jump out at the reader without altering the writer’s meaning.
When you edit out a phrase, make sure it really doesn’t matter. It’s not the same to say that “The editor rejected the change” as it is to say, “After comparing both versions, the editor rejected the change.” The latter tells the reader that the editor rejected it after considering it. You might shorten the sentence that way, but you’ve also left out important context. Ask yourself what the phrase does and how it would help the reader before deleting it. Don’t cut it just because it’s too long.
Pick a paragraph and make an edited version of it in a separate file, then compare the two. Look for a lead-in phrase, something said twice, a nominalized verb, and background information the reader probably knows. Try to change it one sentence at a time and compare it to the original. Does it convey the same meaning and facts? Does the degree of certainty and the nature of the relationship between ideas stay the same? Does it sound shorter but less nuanced, more casual or more formal, or more precise or less precise? If it does, edit in those nuances with fewer words.
Reading it aloud can show you which edits look good when they’re on the page but don’t sound very smooth. For example, sometimes all short, direct sentences can feel abrupt, so if you’re trying to edit out verbosity in a more contemplative or conversational paragraph, try to keep that in mind. Edit one or two sentences into shorter versions and see what the whole paragraph sounds like. Sometimes, when the meaning of the sentence is dependent on comparison or on something else, you’ll want to write a long sentence instead of a shorter one. Edit the paragraph into smoother flow, not a series of short, succinct sentences.
An edited version should leave the reader with the same meaning, just not quite as much work to do to figure it out. Put the two side by side and look for a telltale sign: a paragraph where the subject and verb have moved earlier but context and information are easy to find. When the subject and verb come earlier, you know it worked.