In this Minor Wisdom post, Raymond points to his discovery of a page full of links on writing at N.C. State.
The page begins with six excellent rules from George Orwell:
* Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech that you are used to seeing in print.
* Never use a long word where a short one will do.
* If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
* Never use the passive where you can use the active.
* Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
* Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.