Basic Writing Guidelines

The secret to good writing is that there is no secret.  Instead, there are many little steps you can take that will add up to better writing.

1.       Always try to break a writing task into smaller tasks.  For example, look for ways to break topics into subtopics, then tackle them separately.

2.       Put things in the best order--or at least a logical one.  There’s always two or more ways to order things; find one that makes good sense to use.  (For example, should this guideline be #2 on this list?)

3.       Being clear in your writing is crucial.  Nobody ever complains that what they’re reading is too easy to understand.

4.       Good writing has a sound, a look, and a feel to it.  Try reading your words aloud or looking at them as a “block” of print.    

5.       Good technical writing can be read without “resistance”—and “resistance” can come from weak organization, confusing sentences, monotonous paragraphs, incorrect spelling and punctuation, etc.

6.       As a general rule, three of anything is enough—and sometimes more than enough.  For example, three reasons are usually enough to support a point.  But you should avoid writing three sentences in a row that are similar—in length, structure, or wording.

7.       Be the reader of your writing when you write.   Read over your sentences more than once or twice, then come back to them later.

8.       Occasional short sentences are good.  They provide a change of pace for your reader and add a little drama to your writing.

9.       It’s rare to write anything that can’t be improved.

Good writing is less than an art, but more than a skill—it’s a craft.  You learn, practice, and improve!