Friday, April 29, 2005

Just Do It!

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 have come across these six fine pointers in an interesting article by Georgre Orwell. They say a whole lot about the craft of writing and I think that its obligatory for anyone working towards bettering their writing career and capabilities to keep them in mind.

Keep it simple. Just do it.

3 comments:

Jack said...

*chuckles* These are all good point, but I tend to be a bit verbose simply because I am a large man. For some reason, a lot of people equate big with stupid, and if I don't "show off the brain-pan" a bit, people talk down to me. *shrugs*

The Complimenting Commenter said...

Informative post. I'll try and keep them in mind as I compliment. Thanks for coming by and giving one to me.

iamnasra said...

Well this is such insightful points..I try ot keep my poetry as simple but as times as a poet (wana be) I love to explore new words and how can they make a tume in a poetry