tips-everyday-writing

i am not a very good writer. Here are some notes on advice i have been given by others:

Interestingly Orwell had similar suggestions to my friends:

" 1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print. 2. Never use a long word where a short one will do. 3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out. 4. Never use the passive where you can use the active. 5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent. 6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous. " -- http://alexgolec.github.io/orwell/politics

In contrast, there is also 'formal writing', such as when one is writing a grant application, when one is supposed to be formal and to sound impressive. I'm not very good at that and not sure what i'm doing wrong, but some things i've been told: