Writing a Brief the George Orwell Way

Appellate Advocate: State Bar of Texas Appellate Section Report, Vol. 14, p. 6, Spring 2001

Posted: 7 Jan 2009

See all articles by Wayne Schiess

Wayne Schiess

University of Texas School of Law

Abstract

This pieces applies Orwell's rules for writing to appellate briefs:

1. Never use the passive where you can use the active. 2. If it is possible to cut the word out, always cut it out. 3. Never use a long word where a short one will do. 4. Never use a foreign word, scientific word, or jargon word when you can think of an everyday English equivalent. 5. Never use a metaphor, simile, or figure of speech that you are used to seeing in print. 6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

Suggested Citation

Schiess, Wayne, Writing a Brief the George Orwell Way. Appellate Advocate: State Bar of Texas Appellate Section Report, Vol. 14, p. 6, Spring 2001, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1324115

Wayne Schiess (Contact Author)

University of Texas School of Law ( email )

727 East Dean Keeton St.
Austin, TX 78705
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.utexas.edu/law

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