George Orwell’s 5 Rules for Effective Writing


	George Orwell’s 5 Rules for Effective Writing

kielipuoli

1-28-2008 5:38 PM

351 views

tags:

writing, tips

1 Comment |

Add a Comment

2-6-2008 7:17 AM

magdamali

Salutations,

Here’s my edited version of GO's piece.

http://yesshespeaks.wordpress.com/2008/02/05/the-great-enemy-of-clear-language-is-insincerity/

leave your thoughts.. well if you wish.

thanks

Magda.

Login to Comment. Not a member yet? Sign up

Today's Top Clips

visit the Top Clips page

View the Top Clips from January 28, 2008

Embed This Clip In Your Site...

<div style="margin: 12px 0px; font-family: arial; color: #333333; background: #ffffff; border: solid 4px #e5e5e5; width: 100%; clear: left;"><div class="CM_CTB_Content_Wrap" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;background-color: #ffffff;"><div style="border-bottom: solid 1px #dcdcdc; white-space: nowrap; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: #eeeeee ;background-image: url(http://clipmarks.com/images/source-bg.gif); background-repeat: repeat-x; height: 24px; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle; padding-bottom: 4px; color: #666666; font-size: 10px;" ><a href="http://clipmarks.com/clip-to-blog/" title="see clips that are hot right now"><img src="http://content.clipmarks.com/blog_embed/767c8449-0a73-46a5-bf41-8087895e95ce/0F7A7712-AD51-4852-8D50-FB9EE4239AF6/" alt="" width="19" height="19" border="0" style="vertical-align: middle; margin: 0px 4px; display: inline; border: none; float:none;" /></a>clipped from <a title="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/george-orwells-5-rules-for-effective-writing/" href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/george-orwells-5-rules-for-effective-writing/" style="font-size: 11px;">www.pickthebrain.com</a></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/george-orwells-5-rules-for-effective-writing/"><H1 class="title">George Orwell’s 5 Rules for Effective Writing</H1></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/george-orwells-5-rules-for-effective-writing/"><STRONG>1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.</STRONG></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/george-orwells-5-rules-for-effective-writing/"><STRONG>2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.</STRONG></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/george-orwells-5-rules-for-effective-writing/"><STRONG>3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.</STRONG></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/george-orwells-5-rules-for-effective-writing/"><STRONG>4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.</STRONG></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/george-orwells-5-rules-for-effective-writing/"><STRONG>5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.</STRONG></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/george-orwells-5-rules-for-effective-writing/"><STRONG>6. Break any of these rules sooner than saying anything outright barbarous.</STRONG></blockquote></div><div style="margin: 0px 6px 6px 4px;"><table style="font-size: 11px;border-spacing: 0px;padding: 0px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tr><td style="background:transparent;border-width:0px;padding:0px;">&nbsp;</td><td align="right" style="background:transparent;border-width:0px;padding:0px;width:107px" width="107"><a href="http://clipmarks.com/share/0F7A7712-AD51-4852-8D50-FB9EE4239AF6/blog/" title="blog or email this clip"><img src="http://content8.clipmarks.com/images/c2b-foot.png" border="0" alt="blog it" width="107" height="17" style="border-width:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px;" /></a></td></tr></table></div></div>

New from the makers of Clipmarks: Amplify.com - Don't just share the news...Amplify it!

Clipmarks: Home; New Clips; Top Clips; Dashboard

Popular Topics: News; Life; Science; Technology; Entertainment

Get Started: Sign Up; Install Clipping Tool; How Clipping Works; Clip-to-Blog™; ClipSearch

Tools and Resources: FAQ; ClipWeek; Top Clippers; Top Tags; Site Map

About Clipmarks: About Us; Contact; Copyright; Privacy; EULA

Search Options

Today's Top Clips