My Writing Philosophy

I’ve written a lot about writing here, but I don’t know if I’ve ever confessed my love of grammar. Because I’m a big-picture person, I don’t like grammar just for grammar’s sake; I love the intricacies of grammar for the ways they make writing clearer and better. I guess that means my real interest is style.

To my mind, there are rules of writing that should be kept and rules that can be broken. For that reason, I’m writing here only my preferences for writing. It’s a big mash up of natural tendencies, things I’ve learned from others, and natural tendencies that have been reinforced by things I’ve learned from others. Oh, and pet peeves. This is what makes up my style of writing.

These are the guidelines I follow. At least, I try to follow them most of the time. Sometimes I break my own rules for good reasons. Sometimes my reasons aren’t so great.

1. The number one goal of writing is to communicate. For this reason, clarity is priority number one, and should never be sacrificed for style. There is such a thing as writing that sounds good, but is too vague or convoluted to be understood. To me, that is bad writing.
2. Never use a big word when a small one will do. I’m not good with metaphors, but I’ve heard it said, “Never use a $25 word when a $5 one will do.” This relates to the point above. Big words often sound good and impressive too, but when you string a bunch together, your point gets lost. Use words that other people know. Use words that you know. Your writing will be far more precise this way and people will enjoy reading it.
3. As with most things, diversity is good. This means, vary your punctuation, your sentence structure, and even the length of your sentences. Write long and flowing sentences, as well as short, punchy ones. This will help with the flow of your writing and make it more interesting to read.
4. This is so important that I’ll repeat it: vary your punctuation. Use semi-colons, colons, periods, commas, and dashes. They put you in control of the way your writing flows. They make it possible to communicate the complex thoughts in your head. I didn’t realize this until I was a junior in college; it made all the difference in my writing.
5. Ellipses . . . use them sparingly–very very sparingly. I hate ellipses. Hate hate hate them. If I have to read another About Me section with ellipses where periods should be, then I might . . . I don’t know. I hate them because I think they’re a total cop out. Don’t give me that trail out . . . . Finish your thought! End it with an exclamation mark! Bam! See how powerful that is? They’re also hard to read. Periods give you a break. One thought ends, you rest, another beings. What I really hate is when ellipses abusers substitute ellipses for all other forms of punctuation. The result is a big mess of phrases strung together in a never-ending sentence. It’s bad writing. Vary your punctuation! Diversify!
6. Some rules should never be broken. This refers most often to punctuation. Do not misuse semi-colons, colons, or commas. They have rules that should always be followed, except for the rarest of exceptions. Occasionally, I think, you can get away with a comma splice, but not often.
7. Know your audience. I don’t mean this quite in the traditional sense. I write a lot of things without consciously thinking of my audience. But, when it comes to experimenting with grammar and style, consider how it will be interpreted. I’ve had professors who learned that ending a sentence with a preposition is always wrong and they will mark it every time they see it. If that’s the case, then don’t do it. Or, go up to them and explain why it’s a stupid rule that doesn’t make sense in English. Taunt them with, “Come on, end a sentence with a preposition. I know you want to.”
8. Use commas sparingly. I know, or, at least I think I do, that, for instance, this construction is correct, but, and just go with me on this one, who the hell would enjoy reading a sentence, which, like this one, is too choppy and complex for the very simple point it’s making. Sentences like this might show off your knowledge of commas, but they are obnoxious and almost always unnecessary. If you use such a sentence, place it among many others that aren’t so choppy.
9. It’s okay to start sentences with and, but, and because. I do it all the time–sometimes too often–because I think they make writing very punchy. They give me control over the flow of my writing and push it forward.
10. Avoid words like basically, actually, literally, and technically. Avoid them because they don’t mean anything and don’t make your writing any clearer.
11. Take risks. Sometimes a sentence will just appear in my mind fully formed and I’ll think, does that even make sense? Remember not to sacrifice clarity, but you can throw in the occasional odd sentence if it’s surrounded by enough conventional constructions. Own your own style and let it evolve. My academic writing is not as different as you might think from the more informal writing I do here. If you use language and grammar precisely and with intention, then you can get away with a lot.
12. Fragments are okay. This is a clear example of breaking a grammar rule. I don’t use fragments in formal writing, and I use them only intentionally in informal writing.
13. Omit needless words. Any Strunk and White fans out there? This is a rule I try to adhere to, but often fall short of. I can be very wordy, and I think that’s okay except when words cloud meaning. There’s nothing wrong with using a lot of words. There is something wrong with using needless words.
14. Watch your subject-verb agreement. This is probably my biggest downfall, because it’s not a rule we adhere to very well in speech, especially now that he no longer refers to non-males. I’ve finally moved past most of my problems with them, but you’d be surprised how often subject-verb agreement problems come up when you’re watching for them. I’m constantly correcting myself.
15. Conjunctions are your friend. You’re singing “Conjunction Junction” right now, aren’t you? We all use conjunctions–words like and, but, or, because, while, and though. They allow you to relate one idea to another in a complex way. Nothing brought this to my attention more than studying German. Learning conjunctions took me from sentences, such as “I like pizza,” to “Though I like pizza, I sometimes choose healthier options, because they make me feel better.” Using conjunctions consciously really helped me to step up my writing, because they are so important for building arguments.
16. Run, run from scare quotes. Scare quotes are a way of distancing yourself from the language you use. So you say, White people “seem” to like wearing Birkenstocks; why do “they” do this? That’s the tamest of examples, but I hope you get the point. If you’re making a claim, then own it. If you’re drawing attention to someone else’s usage, then explain that in words.
17. What about hypothetical questions? It’s funny how someone else’s strong thoughts on writing style can seep into your brain until they become part of your own style. I have a professor who hates hypothetical questions and now I can’t stand them either (though I sometimes use them in informal writing, because they’re playful). He hates them because he thinks there’s an arrogance to raising a question to which the answer is obvious. I hate them because they are a poor argument technique. You should be making statements, not raising hypothetical questions. Now, genuine questions are something else and you may raise those depending on how formal you need to be.
18. Active/Passive. The difference is not that one is good and the other bad. They have different uses. Knowing the difference between active and passive voice allows you a lot of control over how your writing is interpreted. For instance, passive voice is often used in politics to deflect responsibility. Active voice is also often used in politics to sound powerful and accept responsibility! I choose to use passive voice quite often; I also use it unintentionally quite often. If it serves my purpose, I will go through and change passive to active, especially if using passive makes me sound too wordy.
19. Metaphors are like garlic. They should be used sparingly. You see how terrible that metaphor is? It sounds okay, but it doesn’t make the point I want it to. What I want to say is metaphors should only be used when effective. They should help you make your point; if they don’t do that, then cut them. I rarely use metaphors, because I’m really bad at thinking them up and because they never seem precise enough to me. If it takes you more words to explain your metaphor than it would have just to make your point straightforwardly, then it’s not an effective metaphor.
20. Be direct. This has improved my academic writing more in the last two years than anything else. In high school, I learned never to use first person. Always third–always. I followed this rule all through college, even when it made it very difficult for me to say what I wanted to say. My problem was that I could never say clearly what I was arguing and how I was going to argue it without using that blasted I. So many other rules I dropped with ease, but this one I held onto. Finally I worked up the courage and wrote my first, “In this paper, I will argue . . . .” I haven’t looked back since. Don’t hide your points–highlight them! As a student, I appreciate when authors give me clues, such as “My thesis is . . . .” I try to do the same for my readers.
21. Play. Language changes–it evolves (or devolves, depending on who you’re talking to)–but it always changes. You are part of that. The way you use language changes the way others will use it in the future. So, have fun!

A lot of people will say that you have to know the rules before you can break them. I disagree with this, not only because it’s illogical, but because it’s a power play. This privileges educated people, people who speak so-called standard English at home, and native speakers. The people who do not fit these categories have just as much to say about language usage as I do. Or, maybe I should count myself among them, because I do not know all grammar rules–some are too complicated or too boring for me.

That said, I find that knowing the rules–for instance, of the proper use of semicolons–has made my writing much sharper and has given me greater control. Even if you think the power games are unjust, unless you refuse to participate in our current culture, you’re going to have to face them. You’re going to have to impress teachers, bosses, and the general public with your writing. It may be all of you they see. Knowing the conventions gives you greater control in manipulating them. Whether you know the rules or not, using language and punctuation intentionally makes for better writing.