When it comes to good copy, clarity comes before creativity

Over the last couple of months the focus of our internal training programme at Speak Media has been on the foundations of a good writing style.

And we've seen first-hand how even the most talented, creative and highly educated aspiring journalists and copywriters can benefit from a fresh look at the basic building blocks of clear, concise sentences.

We're not talking about formal pedantry here (what Stephen Pinker derides as 'spurious rules') – although I do encourage trainees to get familiar with a range of style guides.

We're more concerned with practical principles that underpin flow and readability (such as agreement and parallel construction).

Ultimately, it's about establishing a relentless focus on the reader, and any 'rules' we apply should sharpen that focus, not obscure it.

If you're writing journalistic or commercial prose, the reader's ability to absorb and comprehend the content (quickly) is more important than satisfying any creative desires. We can't all be Margaret Atwood, but we can be (much) better communicators.

With that in mind, if you're looking to hone your copy (or help writers in your team hone theirs), here are a few books that could prove great starting points for insight and inspiration:

• The Sense of Style - Stephen Pinker
• Elements of Eloquence - Mark Forsyth
• The King's English - Kingsley Amis
• The Economist Style Guide - Ann Wroe (see also Associated Press & The Times, or if you don't do print, try The Guardian's free online style guide)