Make text shorter to fit any word or character limit
The form allows 150 words and you have 260. The abstract has a 250-word limit, the bio needs 2 lines, the post is over the character count. This prompt has your todo.is agent cut your text to an exact limit, keep the points that matter most, and show you what it removed so nothing important disappears quietly.
The prompt
- Make this text shorter: [YOUR TEXT OR FILE]. It must be at most [LIMIT], counted exactly. It is for [WHERE IT GOES]. Keep these no matter what: [MUST-KEEP POINTS]. Cut in this order: repetition, filler words, long examples, background the reader already knows, then less important points. Do not change facts or numbers and do not make it sound choppy. Give me the shortened version with its exact word and character count, a list of what you cut, and a second, even shorter version at about half the limit in case I need it.
What to change
- [YOUR TEXT OR FILE]: Paste the text or attach a Word or PDF file.
- [LIMIT]: e.g. "150 words", "280 characters", "2 sentences", "one page". Say if spaces count for character limits.
- [WHERE IT GOES]: e.g. "a scholarship application", "a conference abstract", "my LinkedIn headline", "an Instagram caption".
- [MUST-KEEP POINTS]: The facts that must stay, e.g. "my 3 years in pediatrics and the award". Write "you decide" if none.
Example result
- Original: 254 words (excerpt)
- "I have always been passionate about the field of environmental science, ever since I was a small child growing up near the coast. Throughout my time at university, I have had the opportunity to take part in a wide range of different projects, including a research project in which I worked with a team to study the effects of microplastics on local shellfish populations..."
- Shortened: 148 words, 952 characters
- Growing up on the coast made me want to protect it. At Westfield University I studied environmental science and joined a team researching microplastics in local shellfish. I collected and analyzed 400 samples, and our findings were presented at the regional marine science conference in 2025.
- Outside class, I led beach clean-ups that removed over two tonnes of waste and recruited 60 student volunteers. These projects taught me that good science needs public support.
- This scholarship would let me complete a master's in marine conservation and return to work with coastal councils on plastic reduction. I want to turn research into local policy that people can see on their own beaches.
- What was cut
- • "I have always been passionate about the field of" (the story shows it)
- • "a wide range of different" (repetition)
- • Two sentences describing the university, which the committee already knows
- • A long description of lab methods, reduced to "collected and analyzed 400 samples"
- Kept
- • The microplastics research and the 400 samples
- • The conference presentation
- • The clean-up numbers and the career goal
- Extra-short version: 74 words
- Growing up on the coast made me want to protect it. At Westfield University I researched microplastics in shellfish, analyzing 400 samples presented at a regional conference. I also led beach clean-ups that removed two tonnes of waste. This scholarship would fund a master's in marine conservation so I can help coastal councils cut plastic waste.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and add your text, the exact limit and the points that must stay.
- Paste it into todo.is on the Today screen, or send it with the file to your agent on WhatsApp or Telegram.
- Check the word count and the list of cuts, then paste the result into your form.
- If it cut something you need, say "put back the award and cut elsewhere".
Tips for a better result
- Say exactly how the limit is counted. Some forms count spaces as characters and some do not.
- Cut the opening first. Most drafts have a warm-up sentence the reader does not need.
- Numbers say more in fewer words: "led 60 volunteers" beats "led a large group of volunteers".
- Keep a short and a long version of your bio and summary. Ask your agent to remember both for future forms.
make text shorter: FAQ
- How do I reduce word count without losing meaning? Remove repetition and filler first ("in order to", "the fact that", "very"), then trim examples, then drop the least important point. Facts and numbers should stay.
- How many words is 1,000 characters? Roughly 150 to 200 English words, depending on word length. Ask your agent for an exact count instead of guessing.
- Can it shorten a whole document, like a 10-page report? Yes. Attach it and give a target, such as "3 pages". For big cuts, a summary may suit better than a shorter version.
- Will the shorter text sound choppy? The prompt asks your agent to keep it flowing. If it still feels choppy, ask it to join short sentences.
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