Reading a good piece of writing can feel like sleeping on a well-designed boat.

A blank Word document invites you to indulge all sorts of writing sins. To fend off such temptations: Tell the truth.

Good homebuilders start with a detailed blueprint that shows exactly where each piece must go. We think writers should do the same.

It can be tempting for a writer to strike a pose—to fall in love with a clever turn of phrase or insert a reference mainly because it sounds smart.

Over the past 25 years, we’ve identified specific principles that guide our writing, editing and training. Here’s the first and most important principle: Practice empathy.