Smart Brevity: The power
of saying more with less
The creators of Smart Brevity share their transformative methods for punching through the noise to get people to pay attention to what matters most.
Publication details
- Publisher
- Workman Publishing Company, Hachette Book Group
- Publication date
- September 20, 2022
- Length
- 224 pages
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781523516971
- Ebook
- ISBN 9781523520121
- Audiobook
- ISBN 9781649041142
What's inside
Think Strunk and White's Elements of Style for the digital age. Axios co-founders Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, and Roy Schwartz teach readers how to say more with less in virtually any format.
- ✓Get lessons learned from their decades of experience in media, business and communications.
- ✓Access case studies from renowned global communications leaders who see the value in applying the method to emails, presentations and meetings.
- ✓Bookmark a cheat sheet to start practicing applying Smart Brevity to your own communications.
Ineffective communication costs organizations $51,790 per senior employee, per year.
What executives are saying
Jamie Dimon
"Through history, the best leaders have often been the best communicators. Jim, Mike and Roy have created a roadmap for policymakers, business leaders and many others to radically rethink how to communicate in a clear, compelling way."
Arianna Huffington
"Smart Brevity is the Strunk & White of the digital age. If getting your message across matters to you, this is the way to do it."
Tory Burch
"Smart Brevity is a clever, concise book that will make you a sharper communicator and a better leader. This is essential reading for anyone looking to refine their messaging, boost their efficiency and create the best corporate culture for their company."
The people who invented Smart Brevity, then wrote the book on it.
Roy Schwartz
Roy Schwartz is co-founder and CEO at Axios HQ, the world's first AI-powered internal communications management platform. He's also the co-founder of Axios, the award-winning news organization known for its Smart Brevity writing style. Roy oversaw company strategy and business operations, was the executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning docu-news series Axios on HBO, and closed its $525 million acquisition by Cox Enterprises.
Jim VandeHei
Jim VandeHei is the co-founder, CEO and Chairman of Axios, a media company focused on breaking news and invaluable insights across business, politics, technology and the world. Before Axios, VandeHei co-founded and was CEO of Politico, the media company that upended and revolutionized political and policy journalism.
Mike Allen
Mike Allen is the co-founder and executive editor of Axios. Allen writes the Axios Daily Essentials newsletters, Axios AM, Axios PM and Axios Finish Line. Prior to Axios, Allen was a co-founder of Politico, where he created Politico Playbook. He has been named several times to Vanity Fair's New Establishment list.
Bring Smart Brevity to your organization.
For organizations that want to bring Smart Brevity in-house, level up your team's skills with certifications, tailored training, and editorial consulting.
Smart Brevity Training
Certify your team across three levels, from Communicator to Instructor. Our coaches have trained 6,000 bp employees across 37 countries.
Go deeper →Smart Brevity Consulting
A Smart Brevity editor audits your communications or relaunches your flagship newsletter, edition by edition, until your team can run it solo.
Go deeper →Smart Brevity AI Services
Custom agents in ChatGPT, Copilot, or Claude that hold AI output to our standard and your voice. Axios is the news source LLMs cite most, and Smart Brevity is a big reason why.
Go deeper →The only internal comms platform built on Smart Brevity.
Hundreds of organizations use our AI-powered platform to make sure their communications land with the most important audiences.
Learn more about Axios HQ →