Orwell's 6 Rules For Writing Clearly & Effectively

It's true.

Anytime you can better express ideas, you're setting yourself up to be better understood.

No matter the content or the medium you're writing for—clarity is essential to your words being effective.

Or else, how can a great idea ever spread?

And while I bang on loads about creativity and its vital place in advertising copywriting, it should never come at the expense of clarity. Because no audience can ever appreciate what goes over their heads. Or be influenced by anything they can't fully comprehend.

The fact is, a simplicity of thought oozes from first-rate writing and creativity, usually only reached through reckless and relentless editing and rewriting. Because draft after draft isn't about dumbing things down, but trying to tighten up the thinking until it's foolproof.

Surprisingly, this degree of clarity is rarely sought in our modern world of politics and business. Ambiguous and flakey language is often deliberately used to avoid taking a stance and offending specific demographics. So no wonder it's challenging to make sense of anyone in authority these days.

In response to this exact communication (mis)conduct, in 1946 George Orwell published a paper, "Politics and the English Language". He claims 'corrupt language corrupts '—aiming to educate audiences on the links between vague language and weak government. And in closing, he shares six practical rules for clear and effective writing to combat senseless, meaningless propaganda.

Now 77 years on, these valuable lessons still apply more than ever. They're a solid basis for clear writing across any context or medium, helping you better express ideas to be impeccably understood.

So whether you're a creative copywriter, a budding political speech writer, or simply penning a heartfelt Christmas card to your newly-ex-mother-in-law—take note and apply Orwell's rules to ensure your next lot of words leaves a clear, lasting impression.

Is that clear?

Orwell's 6 Writing Rules:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech that you are used to seeing in print.

The bee's knees? Counting the chickens before they're hatched? Avoid stock phrases like these, as they're age-old and all used up.

Many common phrases have become so common they no longer prompt any emotional response. So take your time to invent new, powerful ways of framing ideas. You can put your own spin on metaphors and similes to craft something more distinctive and unforgettable.

2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.

Long words don't make you sound smarter. Especially if your reader misses the point. So even if your reader does (somehow) grasp what you're trying to say, all those big buzzwords are a surefire way to sound elitist and arrogant. So ensure you know who you're writing for, and keep the long words for the medical journals.

3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.

If it's not adding anything, it's diluting your message. Leave space for excellent writing to shine. Less is best.

4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.

This rule is one of the most frequently broken. Probably because many people don't understand the difference between active and passive voice. Sometimes I even confuse them too. (No one's perfect.)

So here's an example that makes it easy to understand:

• The man was bitten by the shark (PASSIVE)
• The shark bit the man (ACTIVE)

Now the active voice isn't only better because it's shorter and more direct; it effectively places the subject, in this case 'the man', as the one performing the action. Again, this pinpoints the clarity of who you're writing about, making it more straightforward for your reader.

5. Never use a foreign phrase, scientific word, or jargon if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.

Because a lot of the writing published on the web is highly technical, this can be tricky. So whenever possible, ensure your content is accessible to an average reader. Though if you're writing about something highly specialised or specific, use your discretion.

Of course, you want to avoid bogging your readers with too many unnecessary definitions or excessive descriptions. So maintain key details, stick to the point, and do your best to simplify what you're trying to articulate.

6. Break any of these rules sooner than saying anything outright barbarous.

Rules are made to be broken. (I've just used passive voice twice in that there sentence.) Orwell understood this notion. While his six rules are simple enough to learn, they're challenging to apply consistently, even for a professional copywriter like myself.

If experience (combined with Orwell's rules) has taught me anything, the key to sharper, clearer and more effective writing generally comes with editing—usually when you revisit your words the next day.

So please, take these rules as you will. If you're smart, you'll use them and abuse them. And if you're not smart, you probably wouldn't have read this far down the page to know how smart you're not.

Write well. Obey Orwell.