tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660344.post3798383389109063632..comments2023-08-08T19:03:54.999-04:00Comments on interact: Orwell's writing tipsSean Meadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05065687969605540072noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660344.post-46043799134730081852007-02-27T20:00:00.000-05:002007-02-27T20:00:00.000-05:00J: your thoughts on writing are far beyond my own....J: your thoughts on writing are far beyond my own. thanks for adding them.Sean Meadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05065687969605540072noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660344.post-52248434437256641472007-02-26T10:02:00.000-05:002007-02-26T10:02:00.000-05:00"Omit needless words."*"Avoid prolixity"I like Orw..."Omit needless words."*<BR/>"Avoid prolixity"<BR/><BR/>I like Orwell's prose a lot. I also like his advice on writing, even if he departs from it regularly. He gives himself some wiggle room in #6, I suppose. <A HREF="http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002641.html" REL="nofollow">(Language Log once had a nice discussion on the hazards of giving writing advice ;-)</A><BR/><BR/>Here's something I occasionally tack onto my syllabus:<BR/>"Remember the waterfront shack with the sign FRESH FISH SOLD HERE. Of course it's fresh, we're on the ocean. Of course it's for sale, we're not giving it away. Of course it's here, otherwise the sign would be someplace else. The final sign: FISH." ~Peggy Noonan<BR/><BR/>Not that Noonan, Orwell, <A HREF="http://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/gowerse/complete/chap6.htm" REL="nofollow">Gowers</A>, et al make much of an impression on college kids in pursuit of the magical (or tyrannical) "Recommended length: x-y pages."<BR/><BR/>I am reminded of the wonderful little scene in <I>A River Runs Through It</I> in which a young Norman Maclean submits his composition, again and again, to his father. Maclean's father gives it a glance, applies a merciless pencil, and returns it with the challenge, "Again, half as long," until the piece lives up to his standard of parsimony. (The book is excellent.)<BR/><BR/>*Strunk & White. Not my favorite guide to writing, though.j streedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04554162658154186687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660344.post-30468109881578903202007-02-24T09:40:00.000-05:002007-02-24T09:40:00.000-05:00hmm. i'd say you're right. thanks for the comment....hmm. i'd say you're right. thanks for the comment.Sean Meadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05065687969605540072noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660344.post-8808102502675333832007-02-24T09:30:00.000-05:002007-02-24T09:30:00.000-05:00"If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut i..."If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out."<BR/><BR/>The word "out" could be cut twice in that sentence without any change in meaning.<BR/><BR/>"cut it" could be shortened to "do."<BR/><BR/>Thus:<BR/><BR/>"If it is possible to cut a word, always do." <BR/><BR/>Shorter but less elegant:<BR/><BR/>"Cut words when possible."Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11937937683432173560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660344.post-57588744573104600102007-02-19T22:56:00.000-05:002007-02-19T22:56:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660344.post-63799788025532064932007-02-19T20:37:00.000-05:002007-02-19T20:37:00.000-05:00J: he said glibly ;-)K: i agree. some long words a...J: he said glibly ;-)<BR/><BR/>K: i agree. some long words are perfect. like defenestrate ;-)Sean Meadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05065687969605540072noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660344.post-28255110807289097672007-02-19T20:30:00.000-05:002007-02-19T20:30:00.000-05:00"Never use a long word where a short one will do."..."Never use a long word where a short one will do."<BR/><BR/>Sometimes a long word, or a little-used word, has exactly the meaning required. I don't advocate pointelss pretension, but shrinking our vocabularies results in loss of nuance.<BR/><BR/>Then again, you have to know your audience and most adults will not look up unfamiliar words.<BR/><BR/>-KathleenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660344.post-34522616147935060532007-02-19T08:15:00.000-05:002007-02-19T08:15:00.000-05:00I'd add: adverbs are not your friend.I'd add: adverbs are not your friend.Kelly Sedingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10704114189919711467noreply@blogger.com