Russell's Rules For Good Writing
The following is a shortened version of Russell's Rules for Good Writing. This was a handout by workshop leader Nicholas Russell to the 160 participants at Wordstock 96, a writers' workshop for journalists, May 4 in Toronto. Nicholas Russell is a writer, editor, and lecturer in Victoria. B.C.
* * *
- Editing: Good copy editors make good copy even better. But brilliant copy editors draw out the possibilities of the story, the possibilities of the writer; they identify the writer's style, discreetly refining it, so the writer sees the piece in the paper and says to herself: "Yeah, that's what I meant to say," or "Good, they never touched it."
- Sentence Length: There is no iron rule, and no ideal length. But we need to wonder why the average sentence in daily papers is generally 50% longer than in popular American best sellers. A sentence in a news story can be immensely long --if it's for some deliberate effect. Short, staccato sentences can add speed and excitement to a story, but they don't work all the time. Best is a mix. And if your lead sentence is more than 20 words long, it had better be damn good!
- Verbs: The most important word in most sentences is the verb. Verbs need to be strong, vivid, clear and ACTIVE. It follows that the verb in the lead is likely the most important word in the entire story.
- Vocabulary: Every word needs to communicate clearly and instantly exactly what the writer wants it to communicate.
- Loaded Language: Words are effective, powerful weapons in our arsenal, but they must be used very carefully: A loaded word is an editorial opinion.
- Bafflegab: We're not just in the reporting business: We are in the translation business. As the world gets more complex, each specialist develops special vocabulary, and it's up to us to make these fields accessible, without getting sucked into the techno-babble of the experts we cover.
- Style: Good writing may be tight, clear, crisp and accurate, drawing vivid word-pictures for the reader. But excellent writing will also have flair: A sensitive, crafted use of pace and rhythm and mood. And the best copy editor looks at that with enthusiasm and respect, thinking "I wish I'd written that," and leaves it alone.