My/Pref/Writing
My Writing Preferences
- In writing, the goal is perfect communication.
- Perfect communication increases reader comprehension in a way that makes the reader feel smarter without the speaker seeming smart. As with My/Principle/Favor Readers Over Writers, assume the reader is intelligent but does not share your background, and write so they understand it on the first read.
- This grounds in the US/Gov/Plain Writing Act of 2010 and the federal plain-language guidance that followed it. Plain language, not a readability score, is the target.
53 Linked References
Hierarchy
- MyPrefWritingAdverbSuspicion
- MyPrefWritingAdverbSuspicionDiscussion
- MyPrefWritingAvoid Distractors such as Awkward or Superfluous Metaphors
- MyPrefWritingAvoid double negatives
- MyPrefWritingAvoid Jargon, Especially Tech-speek
- MyPrefWritingBe specific and explicit
- MyPrefWritingCall coding agents AI engines
- MyPrefWritingDo not hard-wrap prose in Markdown
- MyPrefWritingDon't be an Attention Vampire; Lower the Drama
- MyPrefWritingGive every sentence a subject that can do its verb
- MyPrefWritingSeek Inclusive Language
- MyPrefWritingUse Plain language
- MyPrefWritingUse the simpler word
- MyPrefWritingWin the Reader's Trust
- MyPrefWritingWin the Reader's TrustPersuade with Simple Narrative