Shostack + Friends Blog

 

The Road to Mediocrity

The road to mediocre writing is paved with over-simplification and distraction. definition of feasible

Google Docs has chosen to red-underline the word "feasible," which, as you can see, is in its dictionary, to suggest "possible." "Possible," possibly, was not the word I selected, because it means something different.

Good writing is direct. Good writing respects the reader. Good writing doesn't tax the reader accidentally. It uses simple words when possible, effectively utilizing, no wait, utilize means you're attempting to make your writing sound fancier than it need be. Never use "utilize" when its feasible to say "use."

Good writing tools are unobtrusive. They don't randomize the writer away from what they're working on to try to figure out why in holy hell it's wrong to be using the word feasible and why it needs to be replaced.

The road to mediocre writing is paved with over-simplification and distraction.

My current go-to is Pinker's The Sense of Style. What else helps you think about writing?