:) That was terribly hilarious & as entertaining as peanut butter on a bullfrog! Giggle. WTgo!
Kathleen Felmey | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 9:49 am | #

Great blog, guys! I love it. May my young kids grow to become rebelutionaries.

Jon Bloom
Desiring God Ministries
Jon Bloom | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 10:10 am | #

that is great!:) I like those rules!:)
abby berg | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 10:32 am | #

Oh brother! I shook my head through the whole thing!! :-)
Kaitlin | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 10:51 am | #

#25. Never write in a style which contradicts the message, because that would strengthen the message. :-)
Bryce | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 11:11 am | #

That was hilarious! :)
Lindsey | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 12:14 pm | #

With advice like that you have the world writing good more quicker than you can shake a stick. (Or click a mouse.)

Eew I better stop. I'll have DSS knocking on my door for failure to educate myself before educating my children. Oh wait, I was public schooled they can't beat me up too badly.
Spunky | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 12:17 pm | #

Hahaha! That's awesome!

btw, can you add me as a rebelutionary?
Jeremy S. | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 12:17 pm | #

Mr. Bloom: Thank you, sir. We're honored by your encouragement.

Spunky: I love expressions like "more quicker." They're so much more better.

Jeremy: Thanks, Jeremy! We usually don't add blogs until they have demonstrated consistent quality over a longer period of time. We don't want our sidebar linking to "dead" (or soon to be "dead") blogs. Keep working and you'll get on there.
Alex Jordan Harris | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 1:16 pm | #

Brett,
Me and my friends think your writing style is as good as gold. It's inspired many peeople to write good, like Spunky. I'm still scratching my head at #23, tho.
Kathleen Felmey | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 1:32 pm | #

I enjoyed reading your rules for excellent writing. At least we know you practice what you preach!
Elizabeth | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 1:35 pm | #

Thanks for those...um...interesting guidelines. :D

Very informative!

Oh, and make sure you know that all generalizations are false. :D
Vevy | 02.24.06 - 1:40 pm | #

... a kind soul handed this list to me in college, and it has always been a good checklist; except the list I was given started out with "your reader lacks intelligence, therefore..." :/
MM | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 1:48 pm | #

MM: Your comment gives us an opportunity to re-emphasize that Brett and I did not write this list. We'd love to know who did, but for now, we just call him The Anonymous Word Wizard.
Alex Jordan Harris | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 1:59 pm | #

Very funny! Only it should be "write well." Good is an adjective, whereas well is an adverb, modifying the infinitive verbal to write. :D

I know you guys know that. . . .

I enjoyed it very much! I do editing work for a friend's newsletter, so I will definitely keep these tips in mind. :)
JoAnna T. | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 2:40 pm | #

I think "How to Write Good" was written by Frank L. Visco. Just FYI.
Kathleen Felmey | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 2:55 pm | #

I already write good. So I ain't got need for them tips. :)

Great post!
Zachary | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 8:00 pm | #

Thanks for making me laugh, guys!

Although I am new at posting here, I've been a regular reader of your blog for quite awhile now, and I am so thankful for the wonderful example you are setting for teenagers (and non-teenagers, like me ;-) ) everywhere.
Shelbi | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 8:21 pm | #

Heh...that was kinda funny. ;) Although, I don't really use too many rules when I write; I just do it. After reading a lot of books, good writing becomes simple imitation of the greats.
Thomas | Homepage | 02.24.06 - 10:32 pm | #

Rule #26
40 times a day, people start their sentences with a number. 100% wrong.
Jordan | 02.25.06 - 5:20 am | #

That was so entertaining! Have you gentlemen read
"Elements of Style," by Strunk and White? It is an interesting book; he tells you over and over to "eliminate, eliminate your words."
I can just imagine him with his glasses in front of a class; a very enjoyable lesson to watch and listen to I'm sure!
JennyAnyDots | Homepage | 02.25.06 - 6:16 am | #

Shelbi: Thank you for reading, and now, for commenting! Alex and I are truly blessed interacting with and serving (in small ways) all of you.

JennyAnyDots: No, we haven't read 'Elements of Style' . . . It sounds very educational. Thanks!
Brett Harris | Homepage | 02.25.06 - 8:47 am | #

To be more specific about that book.
The Elements of Style, by William Strunk jr and E.B. White.
A very good book!! I think you would enjoy it.
JennyAnyDots | Homepage | 02.25.06 - 4:50 pm | #

Hey, umm, do you honestly think that list would or could help anyone write better. Maybe I'm missing the obvious but whoever wrote that sure seemed to contradict himself an awful lot. Example: As Emerson said, “I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.” And then, 11: Never use comparisons. Also that guy said multiple times never be redundant well I think anyone reading that would get his point based on how many times he said it. So I guess I'm just wondering why you would support such a thing by posting it to your blog... Could you explain?
Anonymous | Homepage | 02.26.06 - 1:34 pm | #

Anonymous: The list is intended to humorously remind its readers of proper writing technique by giving examples of how not to do it. Sorry if that wasn't clear!
Alex Jordan Harris | Homepage | 02.26.06 - 4:24 pm | #

Heheheh, time to put that warning back on top of the list.

This reminded me pleasantly of one of Winston Churchill's better comebacks. A speech of his was critiqued with an admonition not to end sentences with prepositions. Sir Winston shot back, "That is the sort of errant pedantry up with which I shall not put."
Nightfly | Homepage | 02.27.06 - 3:34 pm | #

Very clever.

Mark Daniels
Mark Daniels | Homepage | 02.27.06 - 9:04 pm | #

This was indeed a very funny list. It way well be that in writing a blog, these guidelines can help make it easier to read, but as to belles lettres, I wouldn't follow them :D
Mathias | Homepage | 02.27.06 - 11:49 pm | #

Hahahahaha! That's hilarious! I can't believe I'm an author and I've never seen this list before! Cracks me up! Now, I'm on to read the serious stuff on your blog!
God bless, Amber
Elanor | 03.16.06 - 3:29 pm | #