Orwell

"A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself at least 4 questions:

1. What am I trying to say, and why?
2. What words will express it?
3. What image or ideas will make it clearer?
4. Is this image fresh enough to have an effect?

And he will probably ask himself two more:

1. Could I put it more shortly?
2. Have I said anything that is avoidably ugly?"

-George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language"