Commandments for Writers

1. Avoid the passive voice whenever possible. Use the active voice instead.
Not: The car was driven by John.
But: John drove the car.

2. When you do use the passive voice, have a reason for doing so. For instance, to illustrate
the defenselessness of the subject, the passive voice works well.
Tom was shot in the leg.
Buddy was hit by a car.

3. Add variety to your writing by using strong, vivid verbs rather than Be verbs (is, am, are,
was, were).
Vague: He is a big eater.
Vivid: He ate (gobbled up, stuffed down, stowed away, etc.) a double-beef burrito bowl
followed by a pint of peanut butter ice cream.

4. Avoid wordiness (clutter, verbosity, excess). Unnecessary words, circular construction,

pompous frills, and meaningless jargon weaken sentences. Eliminate every element that’s
not doing useful work.

5. Avoid intensifying adverbs (such as very, really, and real) when you can use a precise
adjective. Don’t use an adverb that carries the same meaning that’s already in the verb.

6. Be concrete. Use precise adjectives instead of vague ones like nice, good, bad. Show
more. Tell less.

7. Avoid cozy hesitators (“Well…” “Maybe…”) and humble qualifiers (“I think…” “In my
opinion…” “It seems to me…”). They weaken your writing.
Not: To me, Mark Twain’s writing is funny, but I think it is also bitter.
But: Mark Twain’s writing is funny but bitter.
Be assertive. Whenever you write an essay, the statements are your opinion,
unless you’re quoting or paraphrasing, and the reader will be able to tell the
difference.

8. Read your work aloud. Then edit accordingly.

9. Be clear. Avoid jargon. Simplify. Ask yourself, “What do I want to say?” Then look at
what you have written and ask, “Have I said it? Is it clear?”

10. Read. A good writer is a good reader. Read as much as you can. Learn to respect and care
deeply about words. They are your only tools.