A couple of hundred cuts in this composition will make it more concise (8)
I believe the answer is:
succinct
'concise' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'a couple of hundred cuts in' is the wordplay.
'a couple' becomes 'inc' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'of' indicates anagramming the letters (the answer comes from or 'of' the letters).
'hundred' becomes 'c' (Roman numeral).
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'c'+'cuts'='ccuts'
'ccuts' with letters rearranged gives 'succt'.
'inc' placed into 'succt' is 'SUCCINCT'.
'this composition will make it more' is the link.
I am not very happy about this link. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for succinct that I've seen before include "Concise, pithy" , "Briefly and clearly expressed" , "Crisply brief" , "Brief, clear" , "Brief, precise" .)