How To Write

The cult author, Kurt Vonnegut (1922-2007), advised aspiring writers not to waste the time of readers, but to give them as much information as possible as soon as possible.

In many situations, you will also do well not to draw attention to yourself or the words you use to express yourself . . . especially if you want your reader to take some sort of immediate action (e.g. invite you to attend an interview or buy what you have to sell).

Use short words and sentences. A good vocabulary can be a double-edged sword. Wield it with caution. Use it to emphasize, connect and make clear, and not to vainly impress.

Write like you talk but don't let your natural informality get out of hand. Don't say or imply anything that you wouldn't if you could be there in person.

Be generous with the number of words you use. Be ruthless as an editor. Writing is as much about what you get rid of as it is about what you put in.

Make sure words are spelled correctly and your use of words is grammatically correct.

You will also do well to aim for a Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score of 7.5 or lower.