This is a work in progress. I hope it can be helpful to someone.
Knowing the Dictionary
It helps to know what’s in the dictionary and what isn’t. Get an abridged dictionary such as Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary and scan through it front to back so you know what words are in it.
Don’t try this technique with unabridged dictionaries, which contain many rare and outdated words.
Style Manual
Style manuals show you how to handle editorial issues. For example, one style manual might recommend using the serial comma and spelling out numbers from one to one hundred. But another style manual might recommend not using the serial comma and using numerals for numbers above nine.
I use The Chicago Manual of Style.
Clarity
Sometimes the more you explain something, the vaguer it becomes.
Wordiness dilutes meaning. Remove all extra words from your sentences.
Felicity
When you describe something, use the most apt words you can find.
Count Syllables:
Words of one or two syllables are often the easiest to read. When possible, replace words of three or more syllables with words of one or two syllables.
But don’t count any prefixes or the suffixes “ing,” “ed,” or “es.”
For example, “walking” is one syllable when you don’t count the “ing.”
Concrete Phrasing
Concrete language is easier to understand than abstract language.
Negative Phrasing
It is often clearer to say what something is than what it isn’t.
Circumlocution
Avoid using two or more words for something that can be said with one word.
Consistency
It is important to be consistent. For example, if you choose to use the serial comma or write “e-mail” with a hyphen, do so throughout your entire document.
Pomposity
If you’ve just read a dictionary front to back, if you’ve just read a vocabulary book, or if you have your thesaurus open, you might be tempted to use big, impressive-sounding words.
Be careful when using such words because you could appear pompous.
For example, when I use a thesaurus, it is often to find a shorter synonym for a long word.
Well-Known Words
Choose well-known words over rare or eccentric ones.
Avoid words that will send people to the dictionary.
If readers don’t understand a word, they can lose focus.