You won't go far wrong following the rules from George Orwell's Politics and the English language: 1.) Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech

You won't go far wrong following the rules from George Orwell's Politics and the English language: 1.) Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print. 2.) Never use a long word where a short one will do. 3.) If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out. 4.) Never use the passive where you can use the active. 5.) Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent. 6.) Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.