The 9 to 5 Alternative

This is a review of William Zinsser’s On Writing Well. I am participating in the Personal MBA project, and this is the fourth book that I have completed and compiled notes for. To read more about my involvement with PMBA, click here.

Book Details
Title: On Writing Well
Author: William Zinsser
Page Count: 308
First Published: 1976

But all of them are vulnerable and all of them are tense. They are driven by a compulsion to put some part of themselves on paper, and yet they don’t just write what comes naturally. they sit down to commit an act of literature, and the self who emerges on paper is far stiffer than the person who sat down to write. The problem is to find the real man or woman behind the tension.

If you want to learn how to write with precision and purpose, with warmth and humanity, then William Zinsser is your man. A long-time writer, editor and teacher, Zinsser has put together a volume of clear and fundamental principles for all kinds of writing—from travel and science to business and sports.

“The essence of writing,” he explains early in the book, “is rewriting.” It took Henry David Thoreau eight years and seven drafts to finish Walden. Now, after having read this book, I have a better understanding of Thoreau’s passionate commitment to the written word. Learning how to write effectively is damn hard work.

Zinsser preaches that in order to refine your writing, you must know 1) what the essential tools are and 2) what they are designed to do. Master the techniques, grammar and vocabulary and then develop a voice and express your personality. Easier said than done, right? Aside from the specific technical advice he provides—the difference between “that” and “which,” for example—Zinsser teaches us the tools and how to use them, how to dissect paragraphs and sentences with meticulous logic.

What I Learned

I learned that most adverbs are unnecessary, that travel writing is often full of “syrupy words” and “groaning platitudes” and that good writing should be lean and confident. I learned to think about sound and alliteration and rhythm and why one might choose to use “tranquil” over “serene.” I also learned that the English language has a vast supply of vibrant vocabulary—fresh and odd words that, if used appropriately, can leave the reader buzzing for more. Words like “coax” and “gumption” and “swagger.”

I paid particular attention to Zinserr’s travel-writing advice. How to look for inspiration everywhere—on billboards, menus and signs, in the local paper and on television. The most important aspect of travel-writing, Zinsser preaches, is to isolate the qualities of a place that make it distinctive. Even if it seems like everyone else has written about a particular place—because they have—there’s always room for your voice, your experience, your way of filtering and interpreting the world around you. Find that voice and sing.

Notable Quotations

Anybody who can think clearly can write clearly, about any subject at all.

…the secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components.

If you’re not a person who says “indeed” or “moreover,” or who calls someone an individual (“he’s a fine individual”), please don’t write it.

You’ll never make your mark as a writer unless you develop a respect for words and a curiosity about their shades of meaning that is almost obsessive. The English language is rich in strong and supple words. Take the time to root around and find the ones you want.

…you should always collect more material than you will use. Every article is strong in proportion to the surplus of details from which you can choose the few that will serve you best.

Many people assume that professional writers don’t need to rewrite; the words just fall into place. On the contrary, careful writers can’t stop fiddling.

Don’t alter your voice to fit your subject. Develop one voice that readers will recognize when they hear it on the page, a voice that’s enjoyable not only in its musical line but in its avoidance of sounds that would cheapen its tone: breeziness and condescension and clichés.

Miscellaneous Notes

-it’s OK to imitate; all great writers are also great readers

-when travel-writing, keep a tight rein on my subjective self; avoid clichés and generalizations!

Have you read this book or any other books on how to write more effectively? What are your thoughts?