Nik’s rendering of George Orwell’s famous rules for writers, from Politics and the English Language. These aren’t Orwell’s exact rules. For instance, he says never to use technical, foreign or jargon (which need not be technical) phrases, if you can think of an everyday English equivalent. Obviously there will be times when you can’t. Similarly, he says to never use a metaphor, “simile, or other figure of speech”, which you are used to seeing in print.
They are certainly in the spirit of Orwell, though. Take note, obscurist writers. You’re not impressing anyone.
May 23, 2008