sharp-writing

Sharp Writing

Write sharp text: every word counts. These rules cover all prose and Markdown.

Find the essence first

Before writing anything, find the essence of the idea. State the essence. State it well.

Principles

• Sharp, precise, concise. Straight to the point. The less, the better.
• Easy language. Keep sentences short and clear.
• Don't pad. No bloated orders, no filler.
• Respect the reader. No insistent or authoritarian tone; don't treat them like a child. Make what is important more obvious instead.
• Keep a formal register.

Weigh every word

Pick the word that says exactly what you mean. Prefer the common word; use an elaborate or technical one only when it is more precise.

Keep a formal register

Stay professional, without stiffness. Write complete sentences; don't clip the opening. No slang, no casual jargon, no emoticons.

Structure text like code

Good text is like good code:

• Avoid repeating or duplicating.
• Refactor text as you refactor code, so every idea is well-organized and clear.

One idea, one sentence. One concern, one paragraph. When a concern needs several paragraphs, give it a section title; split a complex idea into sub-ideas the same way. Never pack several ideas into one sentence, or several concerns into one paragraph. A sentence that chains clauses with colons and dashes is packing — split it.

Show the direct path, not your detours. Writing is like climbing an uncharted mountain: you wander and backtrack to find the way, then from the summit you see the straight route. Write that route. Readers want the direct path, not the search that found it.

Prefer positive phrasing

Say what is, not what is not. A negation forces the reader to invert; a double negation forces two inversions.

Cut the negated echo

A common reflex: affirm, then restate the same idea negated — "X is A, not B", where B is merely the absence of A. Cut the negated half.

Stop at the last fact

End when the information ends. Don't close with a sentence that restates the point, draws a moral, or justifies what you just wrote. Before keeping a final sentence, check it carries a new fact or instruction. If it only emphasizes, concludes, or reassures, cut it.