Say More with Less: The Power of Brevity in Annual Report Writing

Posted on March 28, 2026March 31, 2026 by Andrew Pegler

Brevity is the currency of clear communication. And in annual report writing, what you leave out often matters more than what you put in.

These are real examples of overwritten client-supplied copy that we’ve tightened this year with their full approval (and appreciation).

A long sentence is not a deeper thought. If it reads like a mission statement, it’s probably due for a trim. Cut the clutter. Keep the facts. Say more with less.

Pst…can you spot the mistake?

Andrew Pegler

Andrew is Principal of Andrew Pegler Media Pty Ltd (APM) and an award-winning plain English editor, writer, and trainer. He has delivered workshops across Australia and Asia since 2002 and has judged major plain English awards in New Zealand and Australia. Andrew leads APM’s business writing and plain English training teams and has helped craft over 160 annual reports. He believes, like Albert Einstein, that “everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler.”