 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
How to Write
by Frank L. Visco
My several years in the word game have learnt me several rules:
Always avoid alliteration.
Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
Avoid clichés like the plague. (They’re old hat.)
Employ the vernacular.
Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
Contractions aren’t necessary.
Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
One should never generalize.
Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.”
Comparisons are as bad as clichés.
Don’t be redundant; don’t use more words than necessary; it’s highly superfluous.
Profanity sucks.
Be more or less specific.
Understatement is always best.
Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
One-word sentences? Eliminate.
Avoid footnotes.*
Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
The passive voice is to be avoided.
Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
Who needs rhetorical questions?
* They’re annoying, typically irrelevant and hard to find.
This piece came in various emails from a number of people. Ask your students to add to this list!
Links to some very funny and fun Web sites.
Why this section is included on my Web site.
Handouts and articles for educators, counselors, parents and the general public.
Help support this site
The content on this site is free. You are welcome to download, copy, distribute, or use the material (with proper attribution) in any way you feel will be helpful. Your support will help us continue to maintain the site, add new content, hire translators and tech support consultants, and keep the site ad-free. Any support is much appreciated.
Direct links to free stuff on this site:
articles and excerpts • handouts • materials in Spanish and French • videos and podcasts • links to other sites and resources • ideas, tips, and experiences of other educators • humor and fun
