A great writing (and speaking) style guide
August 13th, 2005
Lifehack points us to the The Economist Style Guide : what a great resource, for both writers and speakers. The biggest lesson I need to learn:
In general, be concise. Try to be economical in your account or argument (“The best way to be boring is to leave nothing out”—Voltaire). Similarly, try to be economical with words. “As a general rule, run your pen through every other word you have written; you have no idea what vigour it will give to your style.” (Sydney Smith) Raymond Mortimer put it even more crisply when commenting about Susan Sontag: “Her journalism, like a diamond, will sparkle more if it is cut.”
You can even test your writing style with the Economist Style Guide Quiz . I scored 9 out of 12. How did you do?
Bonus link: 50 writing techniques , also via Lifehack.
1 Comment Add your own
1. Donna (aka competitive wife) | September 16th, 2005 at 6:24 pm
Your loving-yet-competitive wife scored 11… and one of them I knew would be wrong (no. 4). I just couldn’t stop myself from using “underdeveloped” after working for an NGO. It’s just one of those things…
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