Knowledge

Body Build Your Writing

 Documents are like bodies. They have bones, muscles, and skin.

The bones are the structure, the muscles are the ideas, and the skin is the style.

Bones must be strong, but hardly apparent. A body where bones are visible is not very sexy. So, don’t make your structure too explicit. Don’t say “this is my introduction, this is the first part...". Show the flesh, not the bones. 

Muscles must be powerful. You must have powerful ideas.

Skin must be nice, thin, flexible. It has to be free of useless fat that would cover the muscles. Therefore style is all about writing in a short, simple, and clear way so as to let the power of your ideas shine.

Antoine Henry de Frahan | 29 May 2007 |