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How to Write, Speak and Think More Effectively

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Rudolf Flesch was one of (if not) the first to realize that effective written communication differs from what we learn in "English" courses. This classic book teaches pragmatic written communications in an easily readable style! Further, Flesch introduced the "fog index" to quantify the readability of a manuscript! These concepts are the bases of effective journalism and modern technical (scientific) writing. This book is the "touch-stone" to communication in technical/journalistic writing!

Flesch also wrote "Why Johnny Can't Read". He writes passionately; he advocates good, solid education and plain, simple writing. This book not only explains readable writing--it IS readable writing. The original edition dates back nearly to World War II, but it was ahead of its time: his advice is every bit as good today as the day it was written.

Flesch also wrote "Why Johnny Can't Read". He writes passionately; he advocates good, solid education and plain, simple writing. This book not only explains readable writing--it IS readable writing. The original edition dates back nearly to World War II, but it was ahead of its time: his advice is every bit as good today as the day it was written.

From the author of "Why Johnny Can't Read" and other classic works on effective communication comes this handy volume, Compact enough for easy reading (in itself a hallmark to good writing) and large enough to cover the subject with sufficient depth.

Dr. Flesch has written on effective communication - reading, writing, and listening - long before it became fashionable, including his critique of how it is taught in our nation's schools. (In the latter respect, Dr. Flesch is roughly contemporary with John Holt and predates the Reagan Administration's politically motivated school bashing by a decade.)

I personally have used Dr. Flesch's commonsense approaches to effective communication in adult-education classes I have taught.

Starting with Pliny's famous apology for writing a long letter because he did not have time to make it shorter, Dr. Flesch shows, step-by-step, how to compose an effective letter, memo, or report, starting with overcoming writer's block and moving on to effective organization, on to how to avoid cliche's, overly long words, and unclear expressions (Hint: Never write something you would not put into words if you were speaking to the recipient were he or she next to you.), and onto effective editing and revising, a boring but very necessary final step. Most helpful to the reader are Dr. Flesch's many examples of effective and ineffective writing.

In the second part of this book, Dr. Flesch offers specific advice on the following: How to write for busy readers, how to say it with statistics, how to test readability, and how to raise readability. He concludes with a quick self-test; after all, this book is about reflecting on how you as a writer or speaker can convey your message so others will listen and act.

Flesch elegantly explains the principles of effective writing. The excellence of the book has a lot to do with Flesch's rendering of one of his rules for effective writing--Don't be too brief. That's a tricky tenet, but when trying to understand a difficult subject like effective writing, Flesch's full-bodied explications are completely appropriate. The book also contains something that few non-texts include--exercises.

1.1 Résumé of the book
"This (practical) book about plain talk gives you a scientifically tested system to improve writing, speaking and thinking"* this is the explanation combined out of two main arguments of the author. The "Secret of plain talk" is the pause between the sentences.
His main aim is to fight against our graphophobia.
"To be better understood you don't need to live out or change your ideas: you have to excel" argues Flesch.

1.3 Main lessons
1.3.1 Apply the rules of informal writing
As an executive one of the main tasks is to be well understood by giving clear messages. The writing style of Plain English is the basic of writing, speaking and thinking more effectively.
The rules of informal writing are based on short and personal sentences with simple root words.
To become a Fluent Writer (being direct, simple, brief, vigorous and lucid) you have to research, take notes and organize enough materials to be able to write 250 words in fifteen minutes without pauses or hesitations.
1.3.2 Raise and control readability
You will raise and control your readability by focusing on the ten rules promoted by Flesch. In addition to the rules of informal writing, you will have to focus on the reader/audience and on the purpose of the writing. Anecdotes will make the text interesting. The punctuation will keep the text easy and quick to read. Keep in mind that readers need to remember what they have read and recap the main message for greatest impact.
"The most important job is editing". Editing should be done the day after writing. As well as correcting punctuation, editing includes the implementation of a readable typography.
In using the manual (or electronic) Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid score you will follow the progress of your writing style. You will have to achieve sixty to seventy for Reading-Ease score and eight for the Flesch-Kincaid grade level to be on a standard level.
Readability formulas (especially the Flesch-Kincaid one) have become industry standards. This formula is available for more than 16 languages.
1.3.3 Problem-solving steps
Flesch gives us two steps to solve a problem. First you will search for the factor that can be changed and "pry it loose". Secondly you will survey your memory for a pattern that normally doesn't match the situation.
Use the 30 question checklist designed by Flesch to solve any problem.

1.3.4 Use and practice clear thinking
Flesch said "remember that bright ideas are often wrong and must be tested".
As an executive the main task is clear thinking and decision-making. By using Flesch's steps you will use clear thinking enough that it becomes a habit.
"We have only our experience to think with" attests Flesch. The main difficulty is to separate the ideas from the words. With translating "the ideal form for intellectual exercise" you will learn how to separate the ideas from the words (see the diverse translation forms. Flesch suggests using the "20 questions game" to narrow the field of solutions. Specific problems need specific solutions.
1.3.5 Aim for the scientific way of working
The scientific way is the way Flesch proposes to improve our personality. After long research you will examine the results and make intelligent guesses. Once you have a solution, try first to distrust it. You will also have to trust more in the influence of chance.
The ultimate goal is to stay above abstract laws as an intelligent human.
1.4 Further lessons are:
* How to use punctuation
* How to explain science (for laymen and scientists)
* How to write a manual
* How to avoid reading mistakes
* How to set a readable typography
* How to use "I-style" in business letters
* How to boil down
* How to rewrite legal English
* How to write statistics
* Ten tips from newspapers
* How to solve a puzzle
* How to get bright ideas

I found this volume superlative in its advocacy of clear and concise thinking. To be honest, I did have a tendency to be overly verbose, perhaps as a way of covering up certain intellectual insecurities. This is common among autodidacts, who are keen to offer unasked for displays of their learning and of their lexical range. This book shows you that lexical ostentation is no substitute for thought, and that intelligent people will always see through such obfuscations.

This book learned me good so thad Ime now a rilly gud wrider it really tawt me how to rite gud and Ime the best wrider yull ever see thats the awnest truth. But, seriously, folks, this is a fine and accessible and readable book. And the 2nd half has fascinating and helpful tips on how the mind works, and how you can get yours to work better. Published in 1946 (and updated since) it is still in print, which is testament to its quality. It's vital reading.