Orwell’s rules of writing from the end of his excellent “Politics and the English Language”:
- Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
- Never use a long word where a short one will do.
- If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
- Never use the passive where you can use the active.
- Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
- Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
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I have been looking all over for these rules of writing, but couldn’t remember who wrote them! I love your blog, just added you to my favorites and can’t wait until I have time to come back and read more.
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