English novelist and poet, George Orwell, was one of the finest writers of all time. He understood something that most writers never fail to grasp. Language is never neutral. For Orwell, writing was not just an art form. It was a way of resistance, a device to push back against manipulation, vagueness, and the slow erosion of meaning.
Amid wars and political chaos, Orwell’s powerful writing brought clarity to his readers. Out of his love for words, he came up with the famous “six rules for writing”. These rules are not about sounding elegant. They are about saying what you mean and meaning what you say. These rules are as relevant today as they were when he first formulated them, probably even more so. They will enable us to understand better what is being said and what is being hidden. Let’s take a deeper look at it.
Who Was George Orwell?
George Orwell was a British writer who was born in Bihar, India, as Eric Arthur Blair in 1903. His father, Richard Walmesley Blair, was in the Opium Department of the Government of India, but Orwell followed a completely different path. He chose to become a writer. Well-known for writing many incisive critiques on the subjects of social injustice and totalitarianism, Orwell’s finest works are Animal Farm and 1984.
He was also a prolific essayist, writing on topics ranging from politics to language. All of these were influenced by his experiences, including his time in Spain during the civil war, serving with the Imperial Indian Police in Burma, and his observations on poverty in England.
Why Orwell’s Writing Rules Matter
Lamenting the decline of the English language in his 1946 essay, Politics and the English Language, Orwell attributed the decline in writing was because of vague and imprecise narration style. His belief was that unclear language could easily be manipulated to conceal truths and used for purposes of propaganda.
The situation today seems to have deteriorated alarmingly when one considers the amount of unverified news, alternative news, and outright fake news that is in circulation. The information overload we are subjected to, between social media posts, marketing copy, and political spin, is such that our brains have a difficult time differentiating between what is true and what is not. It is to arrest this decline in the use of language that Orwell proposed these six rules. In his opinion, following these six rules would help in promoting clarity and precision in writing.
George Orwell’s tips for writing are relevant even today and important not just for writers and literary scholars. They are a vital set of guidelines that are useful to content creators, marketers, students, researchers as well and business professionals. With clear and precise language, your ideas are more likely to find a wider audience and resonate with many more people, enduring for much longer. Let us now examine and understand George Orwell’s writing rules and try to become better writers.
The 6 Rules Of Writing By George Orwell
Let us have a close look at George Orwell’s 6 rules for writing with the help of some examples that will help us understand how to better apply them to different types of writing.
1. Be original
Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech that you are used to seeing in print.
This first rule warns against the use of clichés since the language loses impact when it becomes too familiar. Phrases such as “tip of the iceberg” and “death and destruction” are so frequently used that they can be considered lazy. Writers who use these clichés risk dulling their message as people get tired of reading the same oft-repeated word, which is why it is called a cliché.
Orwell instead urges us to be original in our use of words, to take the time and effort to describe things in our own original manner. One good way is to practice rephrasing common phrases.
Consider this example:
The term “needle in a haystack” is a cliché. Replace it with something different, such as “like spotting a firefly in a warehouse”. Orwell’s rules for writing are all about taking control of your language so that your writing sounds original and has your imprimatur.
2. Keep it simple
Never use a long word when a short one will do.
This one is the core principle of George Orwell’s 6 rules for writing. Orwell preferred simple language over the more complicated MBA-speak that is popular amongst many professionals today. Terms like “synergize” or “operationalize” can be shelved in favor of phrases like “work together” or “implement”. Long, complicated words may sound very erudite and impressive, but they can actually obscure the meaning of what you want to convey.
Consider this example:
Instead of writing, “The company will endeavor to mitigate operational inefficiencies.” Try to write a simpler sentence like, “The company will try to fix its problems.”
The second sentence is shorter, clearer, and more direct while also sounding a lot less pompous. Orwell was a great believer in the maxim that the purpose of writing is communication, not self-aggrandizement. This rule is of particular importance to academic writers and professionals who might be tempted to impress others rather than inform them.
3. Keep it short
If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
This rule is about keeping it concise and is especially valuable in this era of 15-second attention spans. Extra words can frustrate readers and detract from the meaning you wish to convey.
Consider this example:
Avoid writing, “At this point in time , it is essential that we consider implementing…” Choose shorter sentences like “Now, we should consider implementing…” as it is more concise.
Being a ruthless editor of your own work is an invaluable habit to develop in your writing. Read your sentence and ask if each word adds value. If not, cut it out. This principle is very useful in fields such as journalism, where it forces the writer to strip away the fluff and focus on what is truly important. George Orwell’s rules demand discipline, but that discipline leads to clarity.
4. Use active voice, not passive
Never use the passive when you can use the active.
Using passive voice can lead to ambiguity as it often shifts the focus away from the subject.
Consider this example:
“The decision was made to terminate the contract” (passive).
“The manager terminated the contract” (active).
The passive version feels evasive and seems to raise more questions than it answers. Who made the decision? When was the decision made? It is like no responsibility is being taken for the decision. This is why passive writing is so popular in political writing. It deflects blame easily, something that Orwell was acutely aware of. He witnessed this often as a journalist, how accountability was avoided by institutions by using passive language.
However, it should be noted that passive language has its uses, and Orwell was not dogmatic. This is true in cases where the person being written about is unknown or irrelevant. But otherwise, active language is more engaging.
If you are writing an academic essay, a business report, or an opinion column, you need to sound authoritative and transparent. Following this rule of Orwell’s, of using the active voice, will help you to achieve that.
5. Be clear
Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
This rule is against the elitism and inaccessibility that are inherent in any technical language. Orwell was against the notion that writing should be reserved for experts, instead believing that everyone should be able to write and understand, and that ideas should be accessible to all. The use of jargon and technical terms is used to restricts access to a group. Legal terms, academic language, corporate buzzwords, and the like have a tendency to alienate outsiders or readers from different disciplines.
Consider these examples:
Use improve instead of ameliorate. Use “change in thinking” instead of “paradigm shift”.
This rule is especially important to writers, content creators, teachers, and journalists who want to appeal to a wider audience. In a world where gatekeeping is the norm, Orwell believed that good writing should be inclusive.
6. Be flexible
Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
This final rule is Orwell’s safety valve, a reminder that good writing is an art form, not a formula to be followed. He knew that no set of rules could account for every situation and that flexibility in your approach to writing is essential. The goal is not to become a robot but to think critically about your choices. There may be times when a metaphor could help clarify a concept you are writing about. You might need to use the passive voice in some instances.
In short, George Orwell’s writing rules are about balance. They are tools to be used and not commandments. Used wisely, they can help improve your writing ability to no end. Whether you are writing a novel, an email or a thesis, here is how you can apply them in most contexts today:
- In Journalism: Your reporting should be clear, direct, and free of any euphemisms.
- In Marketing: Use simple and engaging language to help build trust.
- In Business Communication: Avoid jargon so as to be more transparent.
- In Academic Writing: Make your research more accessible by favoring clarity over complexity.
Conclusion
Orwell’s six rules of writing aren’t just about perfecting your grammar or weaving beautiful sentences together. It’s about writing with responsibility. Every sentence we write carries weight, intention, and consequence. These rules are not about sounding eloquent or poetic; they are about being understood and about refusing to let language become a tool of confusion or disguise. In honoring Orwell’s vision, we learn not only how to write better, but how to think more clearly and live more truthfully.
FAQs
Orwell’s rules help to promote clarity, precision, and honesty in writing. He believed that clarity of thought was essential to communicate through language and writing and that it should never be used to mislead or manipulate. The rules he outlined challenge writers to examine their choice of words critically and help them to communicate in a truthful and transparent manner.
By encouraging writers to use simple and active language, George Orwell’s rules help writers to eliminate fluff and present their ideas clearly and concisely. His guidelines help improve the flow and readability of content and thereby improve audience engagement. These are all vital skills for a writer to possess, whether they are professionals or novices.
Orwell’s rules are especially useful in business and academia, as these are two fields where writing tends to be jargon-heavy. Applying his rules while writing reports and proposals helps make them easier to understand and more persuasive.
The hallmark of George Orwell’s writing style is his directness and clarity with his underlying political awareness. In his writing he avoided ornamental prose, preferring instead, simple sentences with strong verbs. His style is a reflection of his writing philosophy, that language should be a tool for truth, not deception.
Leave a Reply