The authors use plural first person to begin the book, opening with a commentary on how words hold us all “prisoner” (6). They discuss the ways in which we are inundated by words, be it through emails or tweets, and the tendency that people have to use too many words when they could be communicating more succinctly. They provide some datapoints that highlight the attention span of readers and how the brain can distinguish in milliseconds whether or not to continue reading something. The authors also claim that the data show that readers scan rather than read electronic text. More data are presented that highlight how the consumption of written content has changed because of electronic forms of writing. The authors then ask, in a world overflowing with written content, how one can get their own writing noticed. Their answer is that writers should modify their approach to better align with the way readers consume written content.

The authors provide their definition of smart brevity, describing it as a system designed to help writers communicate more clearly and concisely. They distinguish between short and shallow, suggesting that shorter does not mean less intelligent.