Principles of Good Writing Essay

Leslie Alexander Hill was born in 1918 in Greece, educated at Cambridge University. He worked for the British Council in many countries and worked as an adviser for the Oxford University Press, on the teaching of English as a Second(Foreign) Language. Some of his works are; "Comprehension and Précis Pieces For Overseas Students; "Recent Trends in Educational Practice"; "Teaching English as a Second Language" and others. In this essay, "Principles of Good Writing", Hill has pointed out the rules that are to be observed in improving one's writing skills.
             In order to be able to write clearly and logically, Hill says, that we should think clearly and logically. If we cannot do this, we should train ourselves to do it by taking particular problems and try to find the solution for them. Hill says when we are in the beginning level of writing, getting clear, step by step thought may be difficult for ur and our mind may continually wander on various issues. But Hill says that practice of writing will certainly improve our ability to think clearly and logically.
        In order to increase vocabulary and power of expression, as Hill suggests, we should read widely and carefully and should keep a notebook to note down words expressions that particularly strike us. This habit benefits us to take down ideas immediately that strike us suddenly lest we may forget them later. Hill says that we learn to write something only by writing and regular practice is essential if we are to learn to write well. One shouldn't wait to have an inspiration for writing as even for the most famous writers inspiration is rare. That's why Hill gives only one per cent importance to inspiration wherein he gives 99% importance to hard work.
                      Hill says that if we keep our eyes and ears open, we will find plenty of things to write about. In order to write something effectively, Hill suggests us to read newspaper carefully as there are examples of human joy and tragedy in it which give us ideas for writing short stories, articles etc. He also suggests to read magazines that are written for particular kind of readers so that we can understand the interests of various readers. He says to write effectively, we should develop a warm human understanding of people, both side of the life of people i.e. their joys and sorrows.
                          In order to be a successful writer, Hill advices that one must write interestingly. While, as a matter of fact, different kinds of people have different interests and so it is difficult for one to appeal to all of them. So one has to know exactly what type of readers he is going to write for. Hill opines that most people are interested in the present. Even when they read the past or future, they only relate them with the present.
              For writing something, Hill suggests us to choose topics in which we have personal experience as we, in general, feel more comfortable to write on those topics. Speaking on presentation, Hill says that our opening paragraph should arrest the reader's attention. The body of our writing should collect together, it should present the ideas promised in the opening paragraph and the lasted paragraph should have a satisfying end.
                For the sake of writing a successful work, as Hill remarks, we shouldn't force upon our own private problems on the readers as they don't heed them. We shouldn't write something for the sake of creating impression. We need not to copy any style and when we keep on writing something, our own style will naturally come out.
       Hill opines that it is best to write simply in a conversational tone as clean, plain English is the fashion in these days. In the process of writing something one should avoid elaborate, decorative style as using of this now-a-days has become out of date. One should also avoid using jargon, officialese, hackneyed expressions, rhetorical flourishes and verbiage since all these not appeal to readers now.
                        Hill want us to begin a presentation from concrete to abstract words. We should use direct, distinct language. We shouldn't use euphemisms as they, in fact, create an impression that everything is all right when it is in fact not. Hill further says that we should avoid stating universal truth statements. We should use the same style throughout whatever we right and shouldn't combine both formal and informal styles in a same work.
                           Eventually Hill says that we should give a serious reading after completion of the work, replacing weak, vague, inappropriate words by appropriate words.

Meanings

Council                       = a body of advisers
Precis                         = exact; definite
Logical                       = the capability of and  valid reasoning             
Wander                    = deviate; to move about aimlessly              
Widely                      = (here) to a great degree; elaborately                
Intensely                 = to an extreme degree                 
Conversational     = in the style of conversation

 Jargon                   = the terminology of  a particular profession
Officialese            = the typical language of officials or official documents
Hackneyed
Expressions          =the expressions that are repeated too too often                 
Rhetorical             = over decorated language
flourishes                          
Verbiage               = overabundance of words
Appeal                  = please
Concrete              = capable of being perceived by the senses
Abstract               = something which we cannot understand by applying our senses

Vali Basha Shaik