“How to Write” — 10 Pieces of Timeless Advice by David Ogilvy

David Ogilvy1 sent out a memo on Sep 7, 1982, directing it to everyone employed at Ogilvy & Mather.

The better you write, the higher you will go. People who think well, write well. Good writing is not a natural gift. You have to learn to write well.

The memo was entitled “How to Write” and consisted of the following list of advice:

  1. Read the Roman-Raphaelson book on writing.2 Read it three times.
  2. Write the way you talk. Naturally.
  3. Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs.
  4. Never use jargon words like reconceptualize,3 demassification,4 attitudinally,5 judgmentally.6 They are hallmarks of a pretentious ass.
  5. Never write more than two pages on any subject.
  6. Check your quotations.
  7. Never send a letter or a memo on the day you write it. Read it aloud the next morning—and then edit it.
  8. If it is something important, get a colleague to improve it.
  9. Before you send your letter or your memo, make sure it is crystal clear what you want the recipient to do.
  10. If you want ACTION, don’t write. Go and tell the guy what you want.

  1. David Mackenzie Ogilvy was a British advertising tycoon, founder of Ogilvy & Mather, and known as the “Father of Advertising.” He attributed the success of his campaigns to meticulous research into consumer habits. His most famous campaigns include Rolls-Royce, Dove soap, and Hathaway shirts. ↩

  2. Writing That Works by Kenneth Roman and Joel Raphaelson is a classic book that helps you communicate your thoughts clearly, concisely, and effectively. The book includes advice on all aspects of written communication—including business memos, letters, reports, speeches and resumes, and e-mail—and offers insights into political correctness and tips for using non-biased language that won’t compromise your message. ↩

  3. Reconceptualize is to form a new or different idea or principle in your mind from the one you had previously ↩

  4. Demassification is the breaking of a mass into separate units. ↩

  5. Attitudinally means in a manner expressive of personal attitudes or emotions. ↩

  6. Judgmentally is inclined to make judgments, especially moral or personal ones. ↩