On the Writer’s Digest website, an article on grammar boils down the writing of a good sentence to four commandments. Bonnie Trenga advises us on what we should do, and more often, should not.
- You shall not write passively.
- You shall not overuse weak verbs like “to be” and “to have.”
- You shall not fluff.
- You shall make every word necessary.
They are so fundamental that we need to know them like our own faces in order to cast them off. See, breaking rules is part of writing, too. You’re working inside rules like these four to be polite, so readers don’t struggle to enjoy your writing.
Your aim is reader comfort. Good sentences are polite.
A list of rules, though, can become a rutted road for a reader. You might have this experience watching reality TV, the kind we’re going to have to get along with during the writing-acting strike. The reality channels follow rules on house flipping shows. The hopeful but innocent flipper is introduced. The stern advice comes from the host. The headstrong ignoring of said advice. The cheerful praise of finished flip work from Realtors, followed by grim assessments from the buyers during the open house.
Read enough such formula and you begin to long for something that tastes different. Learning how to differ is the advice you can read more about in Spunk & Bite, a good antidote for the writer who’s been lashed to Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style.
Write something that follows the four commandments above without fail. Then rewrite it so it bends, or even breaks one of the rules. See if you can create something unexpected but understandable. Know the rules, but break them when you can.
Oh, one more bit of advice: Set any intentions or guides like these in positive statements. The brain can only process affirmative statements. It throws away the word “not” or “don’t.” So,
- Write in the active voice.
- Select strong verbs to limit your use of “to be” and “to have.”
- Choose the best word, the one both understood easily and most accurate.
- And yes, “You shall make every word necessary.”
