HOW TO WRITE GOOD Don't be redundant; don't more use words than necessary; it's highly superfluous. Be more or less specific. Understatement is always best. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement. One-word sentences? Eliminate. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake. The passive voice is to be avoided. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms. Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed. Who needs rhetorical questions? Comparisons are as bad as cliches. By Frank L. Visco Vice-president and Senior Copywriter at USAdvertising