Orwell

Orwell in fact is very opinionated in his beliefs on "good writing."  He writes "Politics and the English Language" as if, for lack of a better phrase, "It's his way, or the highway."  I like this.  it forces the reader to hear him out, at least thats how I felt.  He is so adamant about these rules to good writing, and so sure of himself that it made me want to hear him out and see his point.

Towards the end of the piece I thought that his list of rules were great.

(i) Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.

(ii) Never use a long word where a short one will do.

(iii) If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.

(iv) Never use the passive where you can use the active.

(v) Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday english equivalent.

(vi) Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright and barbarous.

I think these are great because they are so straight forward.  Each rule begins with never.  There is so much confidence in the idea that if you do not break any of these rules, you will write well.  it makes me really want to believe it.  His rules also seem to make perfect sense. 

What I like the most is that Orwell's writing is not confusing and certainly doesn't "beat around the bush."

He writes as if he is speaking directly to the reader and makes clear what he is doing and why he is doing it.  

"These five passages have not been picked out because they are especially bad--I could have quoted far worse if I had chosen--but because they illustrate various of mental vices from which we now suffer." p. 703