Jamie Bullock

Orwell on writing

A set of rules on clear, straightforward writing from George Orwell’s essay 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.

I love the concise writing style implied by these rules, but I particularly like rule 6. One problem I find with my own writing is that it can tend to be over-concise; too many words cut out, not enough explanation. Rule 6 asks writers to use the other rules as guidelines and always to use their own judgement. The full essay is well worth a read.

Thanks to @davidortinau for the link.