Posts from — April 2008

I just finished re-reading The Elements of Style, by Strunk and White. It’s amazing how relevant this seminal style guide remains today. If you write, professionally or otherwise, do yourself a favor: revisit this text regularly.

Strunk and White aim to remind us of “the rules of usage and principles of composition most commonly violated.” Their thesis (paraphrased): in your writing, be clear and concise; leave no room for misinterpretation, and don’t use two words (or more) if one will do. Appropriately, The Elements of Style is short enough to be read in an afternoon.

These maxims are easy to understand, and even easier to ignore. When I first read it in high school, The Elements of Style revolutionized my approach to writing. Every time since, it has done the same.

Strunk and White: learn it; know it; live it.

• Full text of The Elements of Style (the first edition, and somewhat out of date) courtesy of Bartleby’s
• The most up-to-date version is worth buying