How to write a forum post: expert tips inside.

[BigGaayAl]

A friend of mine was disappointed in the use of language and general writing standards on the PR forum specifically.

He made me remember a great website I once stumbled upon (source):
http://www.writingclasses.com/Inform...php/PageID/300

These are great writing tricks everyone can use, in any writing task.
Here they are as from the website:

A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself at least four questions, thus:

1. What am I trying to say?
2. What words will express it?
3. What image or idiom will make it clearer?
4. Is this image fresh enough to have an effect?

And he will probably ask himself two more:

1. Could I put it more shortly?
2. Have I said anything that is avoidably ugly?

One can often be in doubt about the effect of a word or a phrase, and one needs rules that one can rely on when instinct fails. I think the following rules will cover most cases:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

* From “Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell.

These simple guidelines help me a lot, when I make the effort to write a clear readable text. Perhaps they can help others too.

[Gahlas]

Also guys, don't forget to use the search function before making any new posts. It gets very tiring seeing the same threads over and over again. Forums posts are not a sloppy IM message where you get off your point as fast as possible. You want people to read and understand what you say. Personally if I see posts where the words are misspelled, I’s are not capitalized or I have seen the thread before, I will just skip it. You have plenty of time to think through what you want to say and how you are going to do it.

So please, help keep the forums nice and clean.

[DarkestSpade]

I prefer http://gprime.net/flash.php/postingandyou ...

[eGoatBoy]

I know I'm often guilty of using 100 words where 10 would have done. Nice simple guidelines Al.

Cheers,

[Pokerface]

Originally Posted by BigGaayAl

A friend of mine was disappointed in the use of language and general writing standards on the PR forum specifically.

He made me remember a great website I once stumbled upon (source):
http://www.writingclasses.com/Inform...php/PageID/300

These are great writing tricks everyone can use, in any writing task.
Here they are as from the website:


These simple guidelines help me a lot, when I make the effort to write a clear readable text. Perhaps they can help others too.

Too many rules. Most people already talk and write simply (some to a fault); I'll settle for "coherent" instead.

Answering the first question in that ruleset will probably cover the major issues your friend has.

[StevieRay]

OMFG Spade ROFL...too much...

[BigGaayAl]

That is a nice addition indeed, spade .

[BaneII]

Let's not be too much of a grammar totalitarian. English is not everyone's first language.

[geogob]

Originally Posted by BigGaayAl

[...]on the PR forum specifically.

He hasn't been on the Insurgency forums lately, hasn't he?

[BigGaayAl]

Originally Posted by BaneII

Let's not be too much of a grammar totalitarian. English is not everyone's first language.

Nor is it mine. My intent was merely to share some guidelines that help me a lot in writing a better text, for the embetterment of us all.

[BaneII]

Originally Posted by BigGaayAl

Nor is it mine. My intent was merely to share some guidelines that help me a lot in writing a better text, for the embetterment of us all.

I was referring more to the post of:

Personally if I see posts where the words are misspelled, I’s are not capitalized or I have seen the thread before, I will just skip it.

One of the things I enjoy about TG is the chance to play with people from around the world. However, I don't expect all of them to have a mastery of written english. I only know one language so props to anyone who can speak more than one.