The best way to write a perfect sentence is to lower your standards. I hope that advice doesn’t come across as some bait and switch, that there is no such thing as a perfect sentence. I do believe in ...

Sentences that snatch our readers’ attention get positive results. Whether you’re back working in the office or still in your jim-jams, no one has the time or inclination to slog through a convoluted ...

Most writers assume they write well. Yet most writers grapple with the reality of writing as a black box. That is, we know that writing works, but we’re a bit fuzzy on what makes readers grasp the ...

In 1919, the young E.B. White, future New Yorker writer and author of Charlotte’s Web, took a class at Cornell University with a drill sergeant of an English professor named William Strunk Jr. Strunk ...

Effective writing is readable — that is, clear, accurate, and concise. When you are writing a paper, try to get your ideas across in such a way that the audience will understand them effortlessly, ...

When I write, I keep two primary principles in mind. First, I use as few words as necessary to convey an idea. Second, I ensure that every sentence is sequenced in the correct order. If a word is not ...

Use adverbs sparingly. At their best, they spice up a verb or adjective. At their worst, they express a meaning already contained in the sentence: The blast completely destroyed the church office. The ...