Back in pre-email days, Dean Acheson observed that ‘most memos are written not to inform the reader but to protect the writer’. I was reminded of this last month when I received a missive from a service supplier. It was … Continue reading
‘Gradually, as the time invested by the average writer and the average reader in the average sentence falls, society’s ability to communicate in writing decays.’ – David Gelernter In my first ‘proper’ writing job I was lucky enough to have … Continue reading
‘Say all you have to say in the fewest possible words, or your reader will be sure to skip them; and in the plainest possible words or he will certainly misunderstand them.’ – John Ruskin Recently, an academic friend expressed … Continue reading
The beginning of a new year is a time when many people resolve to make changes. For some people, this might include resolving to become a more effective writer, writing with greater clarity and with more style. If you are … Continue reading
I recently watched the whole of the primetime news bulletin on one of the main TV channels. I didn’t have a stopwatch handy, but my best estimate is that at least half of the ‘news’ and about a third of … Continue reading
According to a recent news report, the owners and managers of a number of businesses have been having difficulty understanding the credit agreements they have entered into with their bank. Their lawyers and accountants have also found the agreements difficult … Continue reading
A few years ago, I was approached to edit a report prepared by what turned out to be a decidedly dodgy investment company. ‘At the moment, it’s too easy to understand,’ the CEO told me. ‘It needs to be more … Continue reading
Although I haven’t heard it for a year or two, there used to be a common saying among sub-editors: If it’s not true, you shouldn’t say it; and if it is true, you probably don’t need to say it. More often than … Continue reading
For at least the past 250 years, the English language has had a handful of words which are not considered appropriate for use in polite company. Vulgar is a term that dictionaries sometimes use to describe these words. Coarse is … Continue reading
It was a bitterly cold winter’s day. The wind was blowing straight from the Pole and every few minutes or so there was another shower of sleet. A university don – the collar of his overcoat turned high, the brim … Continue reading