Orwell’s rules of writing

Orwell’s rules of writing from the end of his excellent “Politics and the English Language”:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

See also:

• style guide: rules for writing
• Orwell
• Orwell’s rules for making a nice cup of tea
• Orwell’s “Politics and the English Language”
• my own rules for writing