如果你的目标是写小说，应该看原版The Elements of Style （免费下载）：
http://www.jlakes.org/ch/web/The-elements-of-style.pdf
为了“完整”性，我们继续用The Elements of Style 。不喜欢看英文原著的，凑合着看我的注解。
另外，我会用Google Translate。GT现在还不成熟，你不要拿它当回事。
II. ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION
17. Omit needless words.
Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all sentences short, or avoid all detail and treat subjects only in outline, but that every word tell. Many expressions in common use violate this principle.
Google Translate：精力充沛的写作简洁。一个句子应该包含没有不必要的单词，一个段落没有不必要的句子，因为一个绘图应该没有不必要的行和机器没有不必要的部分。这不需要作者将所有句子缩短，或者避免所有细节，仅仅在大纲中对待主题，而是每个单词都要讲述。许多常用的表达方式违反了这一原则。
注解：有活力的写作在于其简洁的表述方式。每个句子都应该没有不必要的单词。每个段落都应该没有不必要的句子。请允许我拿原作者开个玩笑：
A sentence should contain no unnecessary words.
可不可以改为：A sentence should contain only necessary words.
新增加一项
“学语法”：
This requires not that the writer make all sentences short, or avoid all detail and treat subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.
注意看上面的宾语从句。你知道从句动词为什么没有“s”吗？
the question as to whether 就是 whether (the question whether)
there is no doubt but that 就是 no doubt (doubtless)
used for fuel purposes 就是 used for fuel
he is a man who 就是 he
in a hasty manner 就是 hastily
this is a subject that 就是 this subject
Her story is a strange one. 就是 Her story is strange.
the reason why is that 就是 because
The fact that is an especially debilitating expression. It should be revised out of every sentence in which it occurs.
owing to the fact that 就是 since (because)
［科技英语写作基础（系列）：大纲（1）
http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=306792&do=blog&id=1146690
科技英语写作基础（系列）：大纲（2）
http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=306792&do=blog&id=1146716］
1. 语态（1）
2. 常用时态
3. 一些标点符号“规则”（句号、逗号，参考The Elements of StylePart I）
4. 一些语法“规则”（主语、谓语的一致性、变化多端的代词、分词短语的主人，参考The Elements of Style Part I）
5. 一些基本的写作“原则”（文章结构、段落、语态、简洁性，参考The Elements of Style）
6. 修改、修改、再修改［简洁为上, see Chapter 7 Concision by Joseph／三种修饰语＋两种“问题修饰语”，即悬空修饰语（p161）、错位修饰语／, see Chapter 8 Length by Joseph／逻辑性／一致性］
请大家多提意见。
