Learn How To Become a Better Writer

Question

You know how it goes, every other day you'll find someone whether it be at an internet forum or on a spec doc whose literary efforts can be described as abysmal.

These kind of people try to write something intelligently but often come off as a complete jerk.

These kind of people could be kick-ass coders but fail to write any comment of coherent line of thought and leave the meaning unclear.

These kind of people try to make a valid point but instead accidentally offend several nationalities on their effort.

It is a curse, I tell you! Sometimes it is better if they stayed away from text. But they can't stay away as we are all dependent on written communication. The future of Internet depends on it!

So to help these poor illiterate souls, does anyone know of any good reference on how to become a better writer without actually becoming a writer? Also, how can I convince the textually challenged to become enlightened spirits of the written language (without coming off as an elitist prick)?

Edit: Just clearing things up

Answer 1

I think reading blogs and starting your own blog is one of the most effective ways to become a good writer. Inspired from this post:

The single most important thing you must do to improve your programming career is improve your ability to communicate.

Answer 2

You can't learn to write without writing. As with any skill, it's practice practice practice.
Of course, decent feedback is important. Reading your own stuff, say, 6 months later also allows you to review yourself.

Answer 3

Improve by writing: you improve with practice, as with sports, speaking a foreign language and playing a musical instrument.

There are lots of ways to practice writing, but the obvious one is to write a blog. If you are looking for inspiration, just search Coding Horror for 'writing'.

At the time time, expose yourself to the experts' work: read a lot. I discovered that you can do worse than read all of the literature that you avoided at school (and were too young to enjoy).

Answer 4

In 1918 Willam Strunk Jr. wrote the "little book", The Elements of Style, which is now recognised by The Modern Library as one of the "top non-fiction books of the 21st century" (it ranks at 21/100).

The book is about style; getting to the point, not using unnecessary words, writing plainly.

The book was first printed privately, for use in an English Usage and Style class, but reprinted in 1920 and published as a trade edition.

Elwyn White, a student of Strunk, revised the Elements in 1959, adding a new chapter, An Approach to Style, and updating much of the material.

Since White's revision, the book has become known as simply Strunk and White.

This is the best place to start.

Answer 5

Read a lot. Write a lot. Try to use full sentences and proper grammar with punctuation. Mimic people you think are good writers. Develop your own style. Be funny and interesting. Have opinions. Think. Don't take yourself too seriously. Don't use big words too much. Be brief.

Answer 6

Writing is like coding, is like fitness, is like bringing up your child. Do it daily, do it everyday, do it just to do it. If you don't do it, you'll forget how to.

A blog is the easiest way these days, even if you don't publicise it. Don't worry about your 'voice' or saying anything in particular, just for the sake of writing. Write about your current project, document your code, write about the comments, just get into the habit of writing for the consumption of others.

Read yourself back, though. Even if it's just to review the answers you write here on StackOverflow. Use the inbuilt review period - you have 5 minutes to make changes to an answer. So post your answer, return to the question, read your answer and you will almost certainly want to edit it. You'll have mistyped something, got in a tangle about something or missed something out entirely. You'll only noticing it by reading it again.

There are numerous style guides available, but unless you're writing for a reason these shouldn't constrain you - but you will learn what others are thinking about when they are editing and reviewing text.

Now you've started writing. Start reading. Read your own words and read others. Criticise - not necessarily negatively, but when you've read some words consider how you might have changed it, said it differently, used different vocabulary or to be more persuasive or less inflamatory.

Writing isn't hard, communicating efficiently and effectively is though.

Answer 7

My feeling is that people who produce bad documents often just don't enjoy the written language, so trying to get them to digest any long-winded reference is going to be a struggle. Here's a short-winded guide which could be a useful start: Guidelines for Effective Technical Writing. Other than that, just encourage them to read anything that's well written and passionate (why not start with Joel's and Jeff's blogs).

Edit: I should also have mentioned that my pet hate is bad punctuation - it can really mess up the flow of an otherwise well-written work.

Answer 8

On Writing by Stephen King is pretty awesome.

Answer 9

“On Writing Well” by William Zinsser might be the ultimate guide. The book is generally geared for nonfiction writing. The book has two main effects.

1. Perhaps suprisingly, you'll learn to read better. You'll see new dimensions of a well-written text that you might otherwise miss. You'll see why it is well written.
2. You will write better. You will do this by writing shorter: You will write shorter texts, shorter sentences and use shorter words.

The most important lesson from Zinsser is “simplicity”:

Clutter is the disease of American writing. […] the secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components.

Answer 10

The principles are simple but hard: 1. Read more 2. Write more 3. Iterate often over what you've written. Follow the following procedure: read the text and remove all excess package, correct your sentences. Iterate a couple of times until you've reached a version you are satisfied with, then read it out loud and correct it. Iterate your reading a couple of times, then print what you've written and then read it both inside your self and out loud.

Answer 11

I like George Orwell's six rules from Politics and the English Language

Answer 12

Read a lot of proper writing (not merely other blogs). The Internet is littered with people writing idiotic things like 'here here' and 'tow the line' who have clearly had only minimal exposure to the written word prior to getting involved with computers.

Answer 13

To be successful in writing, you should pick one person and write just for that person

– Kurt Vonnegut Jr., through Steve Yegge

Answer 14

Guardian Style Guide is a cool reference site that confirms any doubts you have with your writing. I think it was used by journalists initially.

I've bookmarked it and refer to it before I send out any important document/email.

Answer 15

The best way to learn to write is to read lots. Lots of varying material. Material covering a lot of topics. Reading different forms of writing will rub off on you and raise your own ability to write.

Check out George Orwell's 5 Rules for effective writing are worth checking out too.

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.

Source http://www.orwell.ru/library/essays/politics/english/e_polit