25 Commandments for Journalists

Some 15 years ago, a British writer drummed up a list of "commandments" for journalists. Tim Radford, former science, arts, and literature editor at the Guardian, pulled together 25 thoughts in response to a question he asked himself: "What is the most important thing to remember about writing a story?" Answer: "To make someone read it." The Guardian shares his still-sage advice to would-be scribes. A sampling:

• The most important person in your life is your reader.

• You're not writing to impress the people you just interviewed, or your former college professor, or even your mom. You're writing to impress the guy sitting on the subway train on his way to work who will stop reading the instant you lose his attention.
• Remember, no one will ever complain because you made something too easy to understand.
• Also remember, "Nobody has to read this crap."
• Get radical! Use a dictionary. Know what a word means before you use it.

Read the full article for all 25 commandments.