On Writing Well: The Transaction, Simplicity, and Clutter Study Guide
The Writing Panel: Zinsser vs. Dr. Brock
Context of the Transaction * A school in Connecticut held a "day devoted to the arts." * William Zinsser was invited to speak about writing as a vocation. * A second speaker, referred to as Dr. Brock (a pseudonym), was a surgeon who recently started writing stories for magazines; he spoke about writing as an avocation. * The audience consisted of students, teachers, and parents.
Contrasting Philosophies on the Nature of Writing * Perceptions of Ease and Enjoyment: * Dr. Brock: Described writing as "tremendous fun." He would return from the hospital and "write his tensions away" on a yellow pad, claiming the words just flow. * Zinsser: Stated writing was neither easy nor fun; it is hard, lonely, and words seldom "flow." * The Importance of Rewriting: * Dr. Brock: Viewed rewriting as unnecessary. He advised to "let it all hang out," believing the natural form of the first sentence reflects the writer best. * Zinsser: Argued that rewriting is the essence of writing. Professional writers rewrite sentences repeatedly and then rewrite the revisions. * Work Ethic and Inspiration: * Dr. Brock: If writing is not going well, he stops and puts it aside for a better day. * Zinsser: Professional writers must establish and stick to a daily schedule. Zinsser defines writing as a craft, not an art; waiting for inspiration is self-deception and leads to financial ruin. * Handing Emotions (Depression/Unhappiness): * Dr. Brock: Suggested taking a walk or going fishing if one feels unhappy, as it will likely affect the writing. * Zinsser: Countered that a professional learns to write regardless of mood, just like any other job. * Social Interaction and the Literary World: * Dr. Brock: Detailed the joys of being a "man of letters," enjoying lunches at Manhattan restaurants with publishers and agents. * Zinsser: Characterized professional writers as "solitary drudges" who rarely see their peers. * Approach to Symbolism: * Zinsser: Expressed a desire to avoid symbolism, admitted to missing deeper meanings in plays or movies, and confessed to not understanding dance or mime. * Dr. Brock: Expressed a love for symbols and the joy of weaving them into his work.
The Diversity of the Writing Process * The panel demonstrated there is no single "right" way to write. Methods are personal and valid if they help the writer communicate. * Variations in Practice: * Time: Some write by day, others by night. * Environment: Some require silence; others listen to the radio. * Medium: Use of hands, word processors, or tape recorders. * Revision Style: Some write a first draft in a "long burst" then revise; others (like Zinsser) cannot move to the second paragraph until the first is perfected. * Commonalities: All writers are vulnerable and tense. They are driven by a compulsion to put themselves on paper. * The Struggle of the Persona: Writers often become "stiffer" on paper than they are in person; the goal is to find the real person behind the tension.
The Personal Transaction * The ultimate product sold by a writer is not the subject matter, but who they are. * A reader's interest is often held by the writer's enthusiasm, emotional baggage, and how the subject changed their life (e.g., one does not need to want to live at Walden Pond to be interested in Thoreau's experience there). * Quality of Good Nonfiction: Humanity and warmth are essential. Good writing has an "aliveness" rooted in the clear and strong use of the English language, rather than gimmicks.
The Principles of Simplicity
Clutter as a Disease * Clutter is the primary disease of American writing, characterized by unnecessary words, circular constructions, pompous frills, and jargon. * Inflated Language in Society: Found in memos, corporation reports, bank notices, insurance/medical brochures, and toy assembly instructions. * The Motivation to Inflate: There is a national tendency to use complex language to sound important. * Example: An airline pilot saying he is "presently anticipating experiencing considerable precipitation" instead of "it may rain."
Defining Good Writing * The secret is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components. * Adulterants to be removed: * Every word that serves no function. * Every long word that could be a short word. * Every adverb that repeats the meaning of the verb. * Every passive construction that obscures the actor. * These issues usually increase in frequency according to the writer's education and rank.
Case Studies in Simplification * The University President: Following campus unrest in the 1960s, a president wrote about "experiencing very considerable potentially explosive expressions of dissatisfaction on issues only partially related," which Zinsser translates as "the students had been hassling them about different things." * Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR): Roosevelt attempted to simplify government memos. * Original 1942 Blackout Order: "Such preparations shall be made as will completely obscure all Federal buildings and non-Federal buildings occupied by the Federal government during an air raid for any period of time from visibility by reason of internal or external illumination." * FDR’s Revision: "Tell them… that in buildings where they have to keep the work going to put something across the windows." * Henry David Thoreau: Recommended the mantra "Simplify, simplify." His prose in Walden is cited as a model of saying things in a plain and orderly way.
The Relationship Between Thinking and Writing * Clear thinking is the prerequisite for clear writing; they are inseparable. * A "muddy thinker" will lose the reader quickly, and a lost reader is rarely regained.
Understanding the Reader * Attention Span: Approximately . * Competition for Attention: Formerly just newspapers and family; now includes "home entertainment centers" (TV, VCR, CD), email, Internet, cellular phones, faxes, fitness programs, and sleep. * The Writer’s Responsibility: If the reader is lost, it is the writer's fault due to carelessness.
Forms of Writer Carelessness * Sentences so cluttered they are unintelligible. * Shoddy construction leading to multiple interpretations. * Switching pronouns or tenses in mid-sentence. * Lack of logic between Sentence A and Sentence B (missing links). * Incorrect word usage (e.g., confusing "sanguine" with "sanguinary"). * Confusion between "infer" and "imply."
The Difficulty of the Craft * Thinking clearly is a conscious act requiring the same effort as an algebra problem or a game of chess. * A clear sentence is no accident; it usually takes multiple attempts (revising a first draft four or five times is standard).
Identifying and Eliminating Clutter
The Persistence of Clutter * Fighting clutter is compared to fighting weeds; new varieties emerge constantly. * Example: John Dean’s Watergate testimony popularized the phrase "at this point in time" as a replacement for "now."
Common Clutter Paradigms * Unnecessary Prepositions: Verbs with unneeded help, such as "head up," "face up to," and "free up." * Redundant Adjectives: "Personal friend," "personal feeling," "personal physician." These are redundant because feelings and friends are inherently personal. * Laborious Time Phrases: Using "currently," "at the present time," or "presently" instead of "now" or "today." * The Verb "Experiencing": Often used to blunt the truth or sound professional (e.g., a dentist asking if you are "experiencing pain" vs. "does it hurt?").
Euphemisms and Jargon * Socioeconomic Euphemisms: * Slum = "depressed socioeconomic area." * Garbage collectors = "waste-disposal personnel." * Town dump = "volume reduction unit." * Bum = "hard-core unemployed" (from a Bill Mauldin cartoon). * Corporate Hiding: * Layoffs = "involuntary methodologies." * Missile crash = "impacted with the ground prematurely." * Plant shutdown = "volume-related production-schedule adjustment." * Bankruptcy = "negative cash-flow position." * Military and Political Language: * Invasion = "reinforced protective reaction strike." * Budget justification = "counterforce deterrence." * George Orwell’s Warning: In "Politics and the English Language" (1946), Orwell noted political speech uses euphemism and vagueness to defend the indefensible. * Alexander Haig’s Contributions: "at this juncture of maturization" (now), "meaningful sanctionary teeth," and "vortex of cruciality."
The Arsenal of Jargon to Avoid * Long words vs. Short words: * Assistance = help * Numerous = many * Facilitate = ease * Individual = man or woman * Remainder = rest * Initial = first * Implement = do * Sufficient = enough * Attempt = try * Referred to as = called * Fad words: Paradigm, parameter, prioritize, potentialize, dialogue (as a verb), interface.
Word Clusters and Inflation * Avoid introductory fillers: "I might add," "It should be pointed out," "It is interesting to note." * Avoid inflated connectors: * With the possible exception of = except * Due to the fact that = because * He totally lacked the ability to = he couldn't * Until such time as = until * For the purpose of = for
The Bracketing Method * Zinsser’s teaching technique at Yale involved putting brackets around words or sentences that were not doing useful work. * This included unnecessary prepositions ("order up"), redundant adverbs ("smile happily"), or qualifiers ("a bit," "sort of," "in a sense"). * He notes that most first drafts can be cut by without loss of information or authorial voice. * The goal is to train the writer to self-edit and prune ruthlessly, ensuring every word does "new work."
A panel featuring William Zinsser and Dr. Brock (a surgeon turned writer) contrasted views on writing. Zinsser sees writing as difficult and emphasizes rewriting as essential, while Dr. Brock enjoys writing and downplays revision. Zinsser insists on discipline and daily writing, arguing that professionals must write regardless of mood, while Dr. Brock advocates for taking breaks if inspiration wanes. They also differ on social aspects; Dr. Brock relishes literary interactions, whereas Zinsser views writers as solitary. Overall, the panel highlights that no single writing method is correct, demonstrating diverse approaches and emphasizing that good writing resonates through clarity and personal voice.
Zinsser also addresses simplicity in writing, criticizing clutter and inflated language common in society. To achieve clarity, he recommends eliminating unnecessary words and complex constructions. Clutter can stem from euphemisms, jargon, and redundant phrases. Recognizing these issues and adopting clearer language is essential to communicate effectively and keep the reader engaged. The relationship between clear thinking and writing is emphasized, as is the writer's responsibility to maintain clarity for the audience.