Clarity, Part 1

In this post I am going to discuss what I learned from Rules for Writers.

"Rules and Regulations...Threshing Committee of the U.S. Food Administration for Knox Co." 1917. Public Domain

1. Balance Parallel Ideas
Parallel ideas are concepts that are easier to grasp when paired with another idea. I found it interesting that when they're presented in a series they should be presented in the same kind of form. For example, they should all be nouns, adjectives, etc. or the sound of the text is a little off. 

2. Emphasize Key Ideas
Emphasizing key ideas can be done by putting it in the subject and verb of the words that readers pay attention to the most. Coordinating and subordinating were tools the book mentioned that I found interesting. Coordination helps put emphasis equally on multiple ideas and subordination is used to put more attention to one idea versus the other. It's important not to subordinate ideas you feel are important.

3. Provide Some Variety
Using variety in my writing has been something I struggle with a little bit. The book mentions varying sentence openings and the types of structure used in sentences. Changing sentence openings could be moving the subject of the sentence to the end instead of the beginning or beginning the sentence with an adjective. Changing sentence structure could be switching off between simple, compound, and complex sentences throughout the piece. 

4. Tighten Wordy Sentences
Tightening a sentence is necessary when it can be shortened without losing the overall point. To tighten a sentence, eliminating redundancies and cutting empty phrases are two effective tools. Eliminating redundancies means to get rid of repeated ideas in a sentence that are phrased in different ways. By cutting it down to one the sentence gains clarity and becomes more concise. Cutting empty phrases is a simple one. Getting rid of unnecessary phrases like "I think that" gives the sentence a more formal feel.