As I explore the web for writing tips and tricks I encountered multiple references to a set of guidelines by writer/editor Allan Guthrie entitled “Hunting Down the Pleonasm”. 

A pleonasm is a word or a phrase that can be removed from a sentence (or a paragraph) without changing its meaning.  By looking for and removing such instances you can pare your work to its essence and produce a better product.

I discovered two iterations of his great advice and have included them on the blogroll.  The instance I’ve labled Hunting Down the Pleonasm comes from the Scottish online magazine Hi-Arts.  The second version (which I have labeled Hunting Down the Pleonasm II) comes from Adventure Books of Seattle.  There is some repetition between the two (ironic, I know), but enough difference that I felt the need to include both. 

Editing is hard.  It is the actual workof writing.   Like necessary surgery, it is difficult and often painful but produces a healthier patient.  Awareness of redundancy in your writing goes a long way to making it better.