How can I split a long string definition over multiple lines in Python?

I have a long string that I want to define in my Python code, but it’s too long to fit on a single line. How can I split the definition of this string over multiple lines for better readability?

Here’s the long string I’m trying to define:

long_string = "This is a very long string that I want to define in my Python code, but it's too long to fit on a single line. "How can I split the definition of this string over multiple lines for better readability?"

I’ve tried splitting the string over multiple lines using the \ character like this:

But when I print out the string, it includes the white space and new lines. How can I split the string over multiple lines without including the white space and new lines in the final string? Thank you for any help you can provide.