Cuno’s Rules for Stronger Writing
  1. Write to communicate, not to impress with your writing. Good writers disappear behind the subject they bring to life.
  2. Short sentences are usually stronger than long ones. Weak: She was so confused, she didn’t know what to do. Stronger: She was stumped.
  3. Small words are better than big ones. Weak: Masticate. Stronger: Chew. Weak: Expectorate. Stronger: Spit. Weak: Inebriated. Stronger:Drunk.
  4. Active is stronger than passive voice. Weak: He was being watched by everyone in the neighborhood. Stronger: Everyone in the neighborhood watched him.
  5. Beware “is,” “are,” “was” and “were.” They usually suggest passive voice, and therefore an opportunity for better writing. Weak: She was well-liked. Stronger: People liked her.
  6. Forget what your English teacher said about avoiding “you” and its derivatives. In real writing, use “you” freely, but intelligently. Addressing the reader as “the reader,” or a customer as “the customer,” is punishable by death. Weak: The reader [customer] will appreciate… Stronger: You’ll love…
  7. Edit like mad. Throw out anything you can without changing meaning.Weak: He told everyone present that his motive for killing the late canary was the inescapable result of a considerable number of mishaps during his childhood. Better: He blamed killing the canary on his childhood.
  8. Don’t use adverbs. They usually signal the need for a stronger verb. Weak: He walked slowly. Stronger: He lumbered. Or: He crept. Or: He shuffled. Or: He moped.
  9. Show, don’t tell. Weak: He was mad. Better: His face reddened, his fists tightened, and his jaw trembled. Smoke curled out of his left ear.
  10. Avoid “got,” “get,” etc. They signal a need for a better verb or better sentence structure. Weak: He was getting hungry. Stronger: His stomach growled.
  11. Avoid cliches. Weak: He settled into bed, snug as a bug in a rug, and lived happily ever after. Stronger: He slipped into bed and turned off the light.
Steve Cuno
 


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