Hemingway’s Four Rules of Writing:
- Use a short first paragraph
- Use short sentences.
- Use vigorous English (drop adjectives; employ synonyms).
- Write in the positive, not negative (unhappy = sad; inhospitable = cold)
Bowles’ Four Rules (and one law) of Journalese:
- Interview someone as if you’re talking with a friend who needs to be heard.
- Assemble the facts of your story into an elevator pitch; that’s your lede.
- Write like you speak.
- Read your story aloud, as if you were a newscaster.
The one governing law of Journalese:
It us unethical to report anything without evidence to support it.