Rules for clear writing

November 27th, 2007

I am a writer by trade. I have one book currently available on Amazon.com and another in process. While I find it useful to read Strunk & White occasionally, not everyone enjoys doing so. To assist those who would prefer a short list of grammar rules, here is one I found years ago and have modified slightly. Enjoy!

Rules for clear writing

1. Verbs has to agree with their subjects.
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3. And don’t start a sentence with a conjunction.
4. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
5. Avoid cliches like the plague. (They’re old hat.)
6. Also, always avoid annoying alliteration.
7. Be more or less specific.
8. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
9. Also too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies.
10. No sentence fragments.
11. Contractions aren’t necessary and shouldn’t be used.
12. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
13. Do not be redundant; do not use more words than necessary; it’s highly superfluous.
14. One should never generalize.
15. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
16. Don’t use no double negatives.
17. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
18. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
19. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
20. The passive voice is to be ignored.
21. Eliminate commas, that are, not necessary. Parenthetical words however should be enclosed in commas.
22. Never use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice.
23. Do not use multiple exclamation points NOR all caps for emphasis!!!
24. Use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.
25. Understatement is always the absolute best way to put forth earth shaking ideas.
26. Use the apostrophe in it’s proper place and omit it when its not needed.
27. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.”
28. If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times: Resist hyperbole; not one writer in a million can use it correctly.
29. Puns are for children, not groan readers.
30. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
31. Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
32. Who needs rhetorical questions?
33. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
34. Do not put statements in the negative form.
35. A writer must not shift your point of view.
36. Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences of 10 or more words, to their antecedents.
37. Writing carefully, dangling participles must be avoided.
38. If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
39. Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing metaphors.
40. Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
41. Everyone should be careful to use a singular pronoun with singular nouns in their writing.
42. Always pick on the correct idiom.
43. Be careful to use the rite homonym.

And last…

1. Proofread carefully to make sure your numbers are correct and to see if you any words out.

Stephen King’s On Writing is another excellent resource.

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