Ross • 11th Oct 2009 • Learning • drafting, editing, style, writing
Michael Nielsen’s blog is hard to follow. However, this post, on rules for ‘rewriting’ (I’d say rules for writing) is spot-on. Highlights:
- Every sentence should grab the reader and propel them forward
- Every paragraph should contain a striking idea, originally expressed
- The most significant ideas should be distilled into the most potent sentences possible
- Use the strongest appropriate verb
- Beware of nominalization
Ross • 18th Jun 2009 • Living • english, humour, language, writing
Jacqueline is “an evangelist for the serial comma”. Her article linked me to the following, from Wikipedia:
The Times once published an unintentionally humorous description of a Peter Ustinov documentary, noting that “highlights of his global tour include encounters with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demigod and a dildo collector.”
I think this is an area where intelligence and discretion use beats slavish convention.
