EnjoyWriter’s Rules
Readers of this column often send in original material they hope to see us publish. Here are my guidelines for good writing for those potential Omni contributors.
Avoid colloquial stuff
Do not use a foreign term when there is an adequate English quid pro quo.
It behooves the writer to avoid archaic expressions.
Do not use hyperbole; not one writer in a million in a million can use it effectively.
Avoid clichés like the plague.
Mixed metaphors are a pain in the neck and should be thrown out the window.
Placing a comma between subject and predicate, is not correct.
Parenthetical words however must be enclosed in commas.
Consult a dictionary frequently to avoid mispelling.
Don’t be redundant.
Don’t repeat yourself or say what you have said before.
Remember to never split an infinitive.
The passive voice should not be used.
Use the apostrophe in it’s proper place, and omit it when its not needed.
Don’t use no double negatives.
Proofread carefully to see if you have any words out.
Hopefully, you will use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.
Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.
Subject and verb always has to agree.
No sentence fragments.
Remember to finish what
Scot Morris
