Good writing is powerful. It sticks to your mind, marinating there long after you finish a book or an article. But how do writers use their words so effectively?
George Orwell, the author behind iconic works like 1984 and Animal Farm, might have answers to that. He wasn’t just a storyteller; he had strong opinions about clear and precise language.
Who is George Orwell?
Born Eric Arthur Blair, George Orwell was a British writer known for his simple writing. He wrote novels, critiques, and essays that often focused on issues of power, language, social justice, and control.
Orwell is best known for his novels 1984 and Animal Farm, which serve as powerful critiques of totalitarian regimes and the manipulation of truth. Both use simple but effective language to tackle big, complex ideas.
These works have proven so influential that they remain popular even today. Many of his neologisms, such as “Big Brother” and “doublethink”, have since entered the public lexicon.
His legacy extends beyond storytelling. He challenged the use of language as a tool for manipulation, encouraging writers to write clearly and honestly. He believed that language must tell the truth, not conceal it.
Orwell’s Six Rules
In his essay, “Politics and the English Language”, Orwell talks about the corruption of language that he observed, which he considered to be directly connected to the corruption of politics.
To address this issue, he outlined six rules that encourage clear language, which fosters clear thinking, and vice versa.
1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
Avoid cliches. Writers have used these tired phrases so much that they no longer feel fresh. Your readers will probably skim over them.
Explain your ideas in a new way. Skip the figure of speech if it doesn’t add anything to your writing. You capture your reader’s imagination if you give them a different way to think.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
Complicated words don’t make you sound smarter. They often make your writing harder to understand. Simple language is powerful.
Writing is often about finding the right word, not the biggest one. As you revise your work, look for long or complex words and see what simpler words will work.
Simple words are usually more direct. This makes your writing more clear and precise.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
Wordiness slows down your writing and creates barriers to understanding. Readers will lose track of your point if you keep writing long-winded sentences.
Less is more. If you can remove a word without changing your sentence’s meaning, do it.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
Active voice is clearer and more direct. Passive voice can be confusing because it often hides the subject doing the action. You also use a lot more words when writing in the passive voice.
When the subject is unclear, the meaning of the action also becomes vague. For example, a guilty person might say, “More could be done,” to avoid responsibility. In contrast, “We could have done more” forces them to be accountable.
When editing, look for sentences that sound weak or where the subject isn’t clear. Rewrite them to focus on the subject performing the action.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
You can’t expect everyone to understand niche or foreign words and phrases. Using them will only confuse your readers.
There are types of writing where you can’t avoid jargon. But they’re also the types of writing whose readers are knowledgeable of the subject. No meaning gets lost.
Replace any special terms with more simple words. If you have to use a technical word, explain it. This keeps things simple and easy for your readers to follow.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
Don’t follow these rules if they make your writing unclear or awkward. Break them when it strengthens your work.
No rule fits every situation, so trust your judgment. For instance, while many discourage the use of passive voice, it still has its place. A scientific paper might focus on the experiment rather than the scientist. Or a mystery writer may highlight the victim instead of the murderer.
Learning from the Masters
Orwell’s six rules focus on clarity, brevity, and originality. They can make your writing clearer and more engaging. It applies to both nonfiction and fiction.
It’s not about “dumbing down” your work. It’s about communicating in a way that everyone can follow and appreciate. Clear language leads to better understanding. Your message stays clear from unnecessary complexity.
That said don’t feel pressured to perfect your language in the first draft. Lay down your structure and explore your ideas. Once you have a draft, apply Orwell’s principles.
What do you think of Orwell’s six rules? Share them below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 9 of Stephen King’s Writing Tips For the Aspiring Writer
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- How to Start Writing: 10 Tips to Help You Seize the Day
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
