You may have noticed I've added a clichéd tagline under this blog's title, and thought I should offer a brief explanation. In my general experience with writing, it's much harder to write less than more. Packing meaning and impact into the fewest words possible is a skill practiced and prized by few, especially in academia. Despite my flowery and sometimes pretentious word choices, I've been making a conscious effort to write less and mean more, like the it-getters over at The Economist.
When in doubt, follow the (fittingly edited down) rules of George Orwell's Politics and the English Language, probably the best thing I ever read in high school.
1. Never use a metaphor or figure of speech you're 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 jargon if you know an everyday equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
3 comments:
Laudable goal. I find this becomes most difficult when dealing with nuanced issues without oversimplifying.
I'm going to selfishly request you keep the big words coming, though, if only because I like learning new ones.
Interestingly enough, when I read that Twain quote, I did so differently, perhaps because it's out of context? I thought he meant he would've spent less time writing about life and more time living it. Am I the only one that saw it that way?
I love, love, love Orwell's rules. He rocks! Journalist first! Cool guy! Yeah!
dude, the name of your next entry is insouciance. you're not even trying. drive slow.
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