Writing Style

Three layers shape good prose: stance, cognition, and mechanics. Apply all three.

Stance (Thomas & Turner, Classic Prose)

Write as if you see something clearly and are turning to an intellectual equal to point it out.

• Motive is truth. You write because you have something to show, not to impress.
• Purpose is presentation. The reader can verify what you present. You are not arguing or performing.
• Writer and reader are equals. The reader is competent and attentive. Do not talk down, hedge, or over-qualify.
• Occasion is informal. The tone is conversational, as if speaking to a colleague. Avoid ceremonial or bureaucratic register.
• The writing is a window, not a subject. Draw zero attention to the act of writing itself. Never say "this document will explain" or "as mentioned above."
• Show parallels by juxtaposition. Place related ideas next to each other and let the reader see the connection. Never announce it with "the same," "similarly," "this mirrors," or "this is just like." If you have to tell the reader two things are connected, the placement failed.

Cognition (Pinker, The Sense of Style)

Two cognitive principles govern whether readers understand you. Full reference with ban lists in pinker-condensed.md.