The 10 rules simplified. 1Know your argument and stick to it. 2Give each paragraph one main point. 3Put clarity first (even if you repeat yourself). 4Keep sentences short and simple. 5Write from a fixed point in time, using tenses to show what came before or after. 6Use the subjunctive if need be. 7To illustrate a point, state it, then give examples; to prove a point, give the evidence, then state it. 8Picture your metaphors and don't mix them. 9Read your sentences aloud and hear how they sound. 10Cut any passage written just to impress.