After having read George Orwell's "Politics and the English Language", and having given some thoughts about my own belief in what good writing should consist of, I have come to the conclusion that there are 5 key rules to quality writing.
1. Use the 'Right' Diction. Don't use words or figures of speech that your expected audience will not be able to understand. If your audience doesn't understand your writing, you might as well be writing in a different language. Especially when writing to the general public it is best that you use 'Simple English' rather than highly sophisticated words, because much of your audience may not know how to pronounce the words, or know the meaning.
2. Make Your Reasons Clear. Let people know what you are writing about, and why. The best examples of how to present your argument can be found in the text "They Say/I Say", which explains why it is important to let your audience know why you are shining light on a certain topic. If your audience is unsure why you are writing about something, it may be difficult for them to fallow where you are going with your writing.
3. Let Your Paragraphs Flow. It is important that your writing flows and is easy to fallow. You shouldn't jump from one subject to another and back and forth confusing the reader where you are going with your writing. Think of your writing as a guide, guiding the reader through your thoughts. If you zig zag around, you will lose your follower.
4. Don't Use Scientific Words. For example, don't use words like Ethos, Pathos, or Logos in your writing, because most people don't really know what those mean. Break down these types of words into their basic definitions.
5. Keep It Short and Sweet. Don't drag on with your writing. Sometimes it is best to keep your writing condensed into an efficient pack of information. If you tend to drag on and over expand your writing the reader may become bored and stop reading. This isn't good if you are trying to share information with a large audience.
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