When I asked caddy-turned-ghostwriter, Mark Eglington, what I could do to write better, he told me to read On Writing Well, by William Zinsser. I’d read it about ten years ago, but I took Eglington’s advice and reread it.
Zinsser’s advice on writing well is simple: Be clear. Be concise. Be human.
Simple advice.
Simple, but not easy.
Be clear. Be simple. Be brief. But overall be true to yourself. Make that your credo. If you’re true to your humanity, there’s no way you won’t write well. – William Zinser
Clarity
Zinser says writing is just thinking on paper. If done well, you can make any subject clear. If you’re not going to be clear, why bother?
Simplicity
Use simple words. Never write anything you wouldn’t say in conversation.
Brevity
Most of your writing could be cut in half and still get your point across. In fact, it will probably be better. Cut the fat.
Humanity
Take the reader on a trip. Use humor. Tell a funny story. If you find it funny, someone else will too.
Practice Often
Make writing a habit. The only way to get better at writing is to do it often. Any method you use to write more is okay. Write by dictation. Write from your phone. The important thing is to set aside time to write.
What Should You Write About?
Write for yourself. You’ll draw readers in if you write about things you are interested in. If you try to write for others, your writing will suffer.
Write what you know. Write about your hobbies. Write about hunting, fishing, sewing, running, cooking, or cars. It doesn’t matter what you write about. What matters is that you add your humanity and enthusiasm to your words.
Get Your Writing Out There
I hope these tips help you get started writing. If you’re looking to get your ideas out there to the world, check out my post on how to start a blog.
Originally published at aaronolson.blog.
