George Orwell
Dec 23, 2024 peoplewritingpoliticslanguage
George Orwell (1903–1950) wrote novels, essays, and journalism, but his most influential work for writers may be “Politics and the English Language” (1946). His argument: sloppy language enables sloppy thinking; vague phrases are political weapons.
The famous rules — short words over long, cut unnecessary words, avoid passive voice, never use a metaphor you’ve seen in print — are moral prescriptions disguised as style advice. Clarity resists manipulation.
His essays model what he preaches: plain style, concrete nouns, active verbs. No fog. Writing as if you’re accountable for every sentence.
Related: [[explanatory-writing]], [[compression]], [[language]]