Here are Orwell’s rules, edited:
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It’s an old post from Seth Godin, but one I keep coming back to for writing, for teaching, for editing, and for life in general. Especially #5.
Writing naked (nakeder than Orwell)
1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print. You don’t need cliches.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do. Avoid long words.
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. Write in the now.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent. When in doubt, say it clearly.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous. Better to be interesting than to follow these rules.
The reason business writing is horrible is that people are afraid.
Afraid to say what they mean, because they might be criticized for it.
Afraid to be misunderstood, to be accused of saying what they didn’t mean, because they might be criticized for it.
Orwell was on the right track. Just say it. Say it clearly. Say it now. Say it without fear of being criticized and say it without being boring.
If the goal is no feedback, then say nothing. Don’t write the memo.
If the goal is to communicate, then say what you mean.
My best tip is this: buy a cheap digital recorder. Say what you want to say, as if the person you seek to persuade is standing there, listening. Then type that up. Simplify. Send.
We live in a time where saying it clearly and saying it now is easier than ever. But fear of being criticized is so engrained in our psychology it keeps us so small in our expression. This goes for business writing and certainly ‘yoga writing.’ My personal experience with the vast majority of yoga writing is that it is designed not to illuminate anything for me as a reader, but rather for the author to be seen in a certain way (spiritual, funny, gossipy, rejectionist, authority, peacemaker, etc).
When we put our energies into trying to affect how others experience us both online and in person, rather than on the quality of our expression, the content of the communication is compromised. Most of all, it’s exhausting and ineffective. It just doesn’t work.
Just say what you have to say. Say it clearly. Say it now. The funny thing is that’s what people have wanted from you the entire time.
