The write stuff

Three keys to better writing: Emphasize action, description, simplicity | Marvin Olasky

The New York Times two weeks ago headlined a story, "Writing in Schools Is Found Both Dismal and Neglected." Use of the passive voice in a headline was itself dismal, but the Times recognition of a problem pushed me to write a column long promised to several WORLD readers who had asked for advice on how to write better.

I had put off that column because my advice is simple: Read good writers. Write often. Don't use big words and fancy sentences. Use specific detail. Prefer nouns and strong verbs over adjectives and adverbs. Don't try to dress up your writing. I thought that advice was just common sense, but recently I've found that it's not.

Apparently, some writing teachers give students points for "dressing up" their writing by using sentences beginning with "after," "while," or "because," clauses beginning with "who" or "which," and lots of adjectives and adverbs. One popular textbook gives this example of a sentence improved by dressing up: "The fox casually mentioned how pleased he would be to hear the crow sing." (The prized addition, "casually," makes the sentence worse, because it's redundant; a mention is casual.)