Steven Pinker on writing
Yesterday I came upon this video by Steven Pinker. It’s simply the best video talk on writing I’ve ever seen, and I recommend it to all nonfiction writers. (Fiction writers too, but that’s not its main focus.)
style
Maximizing the value of each word
When I’m polishing text that I’ve written, I find myself thinking about the value each word contributes. Can I replace a long phrase with a short one with equal value? Can I use a high-value word in place of one that has relatively little?
By “value” I mean the precision and impact which each word contributes to the statement. A precise word has more value than one with a broad meaning. A straightforward word or phrase has more value than a cliché. A sentence with a high value per word has more impact than one that’s full of low-value words.
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