December 8th, 2009
I think most of the rules of good writing are summed up here:
Do not put statements in the negative form.
And don’t start sentences with a conjunction.
If you reread your work, you will find on rereading that a
great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing.
Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.
Unqualified superlatives are the worst of all.
De-accession euphemisms.
If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
Last, but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.~William Safire, “Great Rules of Writing”
I may have to print this out and tape it to my monitor; it’s a good reminder and it makes me smile.
Have a great weekend!
Being the grammar freak that I am, reading that made me happier than a pig in a rug! I mean, a bug in a poke. I mean . . . .
by Chicken Mama December 10th, 2009 at 10:10 am