scott-adams

name	scott-adams
description	Use when the user wants to simplify prose, prune extra words, craft high-curiosity opening hooks, write punchy short sentences, and structure ideas for maximum human brain comprehension based on Scott Adams' famous business writing method.
compatibility	Requires standard Markdown parser and agent context

Scott Adams' Business Writing Method

Simplicity is persuasion. Prune unnecessary words, hook readers instantly, and write short sentences matched to how human brains process ideas.

The core rule

Simplicity equals persuasion. Cut extra words, write a high-curiosity opening hook, keep sentences short, and put the actor before the action.

Workflow: craft a high-curiosity hook → prune all filler and adverbs → write short sentences (one thought per sentence) → order subject before action.

Mechanics

1. Prune extra words. Delete filler words (e.g., "very", "really", "quite"). If removing a word doesn't change the meaning, delete it.
2. Humor equals precise word choice. Use specific, punchy verbs and nouns instead of generic verbs modified by adverbs (e.g., "swill" instead of "drink a lot").
3. The curiosity hook. The first sentence creates an information gap: the reader knows something valuable is coming but cannot see it, so they must read on to close the gap. Adams' own opener did this: "I went from being a bad writer to a good writer after taking a one-day course in 'business writing.'" (Which course? What did it teach?) Build the gap by promising a payoff, stating a surprising claim, or ending the sentence just before the answer. Adams rewrote that first sentence "a dozen times" until it made the reader curious. Test: if the reader can stop after sentence one, it is not a hook.
4. One thought per sentence. Keep sentences short. Never bundle multiple complex ideas into a single sentence. Readers comprehend simpler chunks faster.
5. Actor before action. Sequence sentences so the subject (actor) appears before the verb (action). Human brains process "the boy hit the ball" faster than "the ball was hit by the boy."
6. No complex nesting. Avoid subordinate clauses that delay the core subject-verb relationship.

Verify

• First sentence opens an information gap — reader cannot stop after it
• Zero unnecessary filler words or intensifiers ("very", "really")
• Sentences average under 15 words and contain only one thought
• Subject precedes the verb in active, direct voice
• No complex or passive sentence constructions

Do not

• Use passive voice ("was hit by") when active voice ("hit") works
• Pack multiple thoughts or dependent clauses into a single long sentence
• Rely on adverbs to add flavor when a stronger single noun or verb exists
• Settle for the first draft of an opening sentence

Example transformations

Before: "It is very important to note that the team was quite successful in implementing the new features after they were thoroughly tested."

After: "The team shipped the new features."

Before: "The data was analyzed by the analysts very carefully, and it appeared that sales were declining significantly."

After: "Sales dropped 20%."

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Source: Scott Adams, "The Day You Became A Better Writer" (2007), archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20240302003157/https://dilbertblog.typepad.com/the_dilbert_blog/2007/06/the_day_you_bec.html — the original Typepad post was taken offline when Typepad shut down on 30 September 2025.