[译]成为更好作家的那一天

这篇文章简洁却有力，能让你在三分钟内成为一个优秀的写作者。原文《The Day You Became A Better Writer》（Scott Adams）链接已无法访问，故附上原文。

在参加了一场为期一天的“商务写作”课程后，我从一个糟糕的写作者变成一个优秀的写作者。我简直不敢相信这一切竟然如此简单。在这里我会告诉你主要的技巧，这样你就不用浪费一天时间去上课了。

商务写作的核心是清晰和说服力。主要技巧是保持简单。简单的写作具有说服力。五句话的好论点比一百句话的精彩论点更能说服人。不要抗拒这一点。

简单意味着去掉多余的词。当你可以写“他很高兴”时，不要写“他非常非常高兴”。你以为“非常”这个词增添了什么，其实并没有。精简你的句子。

幽默写作与商务写作很相似，都需要保持简单。主要区别在于用词选择。对于幽默写作，当你能说“豪饮”时，就不要说“喝”。

你的第一句话就需要抓住读者。回去读读我这篇文章的第一句话。我重写了十几次。它让你感到好奇。这就是关键。

写短句子。避免在一个句子中放入多个想法。读者没有你想象的那么聪明。

学习大脑如何组织想法。读者理解“男孩击球”比理解“球被男孩击中”更快。两个句子意思相同，但先想象对象（男孩）再想象动作（击打）更容易。所有大脑都是这样工作的。（注意到我没有说“这就是所有大脑工作的方式”了吗？）

就是这样。你刚刚学会了优秀写作 80% 的规则。不客气。

原文：The Day You Became A Better Writer

by Scott Adams

I went from being a bad writer to a good writer after taking a one-day course in “business writing.” I couldn’t believe how simple it was. I’ll tell you the main tricks here so you don’t have to waste a day in class.

Business writing is about clarity and persuasion. The main technique is keeping things simple. Simple writing is persuasive. A good argument in five sentences will sway more people than a brilliant argument in a hundred sentences. Don’t fight it.

Simple means getting rid of extra words. Don’t write, “He was very happy” when you can write “He was happy.” You think the word “very” adds something. It doesn’t. Prune your sentences.

Humor writing is a lot like business writing. It needs to be simple. The main difference is in the choice of words. For humor, don’t say “drink” when you can say “swill.”

Your first sentence needs to grab the reader. Go back and read my first sentence to this post. I rewrote it a dozen times. It makes you curious. That’s the key.

Write short sentences. Avoid putting multiple thoughts in one sentence. Readers aren’t as smart as you’d think.

Learn how brains organize ideas. Readers comprehend “the boy hit the ball” quicker than “the ball was hit by the boy.” Both sentences mean the same, but it’s easier to imagine the object (the boy) before the action (the hitting). All brains work that way. (Notice I didn’t say, “That is the way all brains work”?)

That’s it. You just learned 80% of the rules of good writing. You’re welcome.