“Plain English refers to the writing and setting out of essential information in a way that gives a co-operative, motivated person a good chance of understanding it at first reading, and in the same sense that the writer meant it to be understood.” Cutts, M. (2013). Oxford Guide to Plain English. Oxford, England: Oxford University(…)
The kiss was a long one. He didn’t want to break away from the bliss of the encounter, but he was sure that a short interruption might secure his future kisses. Despite his passion, he reasoned that a declaration of his love would lead to a lifetime of affection and passionate exhilaration with the person he(…)
The key to better writing is often good editing. Good editors have little tricks. These tricks require them to have a knowledge of the common mistakes that can weaken a person’s writing. They get into the habit of hunting down these errors and systematically fixing them. One common thing to look out for is verb-style writing.(…)
Obviously, the education we get in school and college is important, but some things simply get in the way. One obstacle to good writing is that once we leave school, we need to begin to write for completely different purposes, and old habits tend to die hard. In our professional lives, we write to inform, to(…)
It’s often said that the first step to writing well is to imagine yourself as the reader. Whether you’re writing an article for a magazine, a memo for your colleagues, or a short advertisement on Craigslist, before you start, stop and think about your typical reader. Picture your reader actually reading the piece you are planning(…)
Please allow me to rant a little. It’s the end of the day. A long and tedious one as well. At the end of the day, I sometimes like a mug of hot chocolate. Sometimes it’s nice to have a little red wine at the end of the day. I sometimes like to curl up(…)
The Plain English Foundation has some terrific examples that show what plain language looks like. It also has information that explains what plain language isn’t. Here are some of the characteristics of bureaucratic government language listed on their web site: Long, complex words Long, unwieldy sentences Impenetrable jargon Passive voice Unnecessary verbiage Padding and pointless detail It(…)
You can tighten up your writing by getting rid of unneeded words. Here are a few examples: Advance planning. Just say planning. Isn’t all planning done in advance? Past experience. Past adds nothing to your sentence. Absolutely essential. It’s either essential or it isn’t. What’s the difference between essential and absolutely essential? Predict in advance.(…)
Writers who are pressed for time sometimes make hilarious mistakes — particularly when they are writing headlines. It is important to check your writing to make sure that your sentences are unambiguous. Here are a few examples of ambiguity: Kids Make Nutritious Snacks Iraqi Head Seeks Arms Milk Drinkers Are Turning to Powder Panda Mating(…)
Dieter Rams is a German industrial engineer who is famous for his ten principles of good design. The tenth principle is “Good design is as little design as possible. Less, but better – because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity.” I have recently(…)