On Writing Well by William Zinsser

What if someone told you, "Your writing stinks!" ?
I'm willing to bet a lot of people would snarl up their noses and turn away. Others would defiantly stick up "the bird" and erupt a multitude of expletive lava. Some might judge character.

However, there are a few diamonds in the rough who want to write better. A great writer knows one strong outlet of strengthening their skills is to accept constructive criticism from others who know how to write well. When you don't have the convenience of talking one-on-one, another way to manipulate the English language to suit your personal needs is by reading a guide on how to write.

William Zinsser is just the man I decided to listen to.

On Writing Well starts out like any other well-developed and interesting piece of writing would. There's the vague yet somehow interesting first page, that includes a clever yet sneaky chapter heading, "The Transaction". Zinsser speaks about his trip to a Connecticut school that held a day "dedicated to the arts".

Throughout the first chapter, you will see that all of us write differently; we have different styles, we write to different audiences, and we have our own sense of humor. Zinsser meets Dr. Brock, a man who from the start looks interestingly different. His clothes are full of color, and he lives as carefree as a bluebird. Early on, you'll notice the different approaches to writing styles, and that there is no wrong way to write, as long as it all makes sense and is a pleasure to read.

What I like about Zinsser's attitude toward writing is that he appreciates the simplistic approach. The basic elements of language are the most powerful, and learning to control those elements will make you the best you can be.

On Writing Well dishes up a very large platter of techniques and styles centered around enhancing your writing, and helping you to convey the simplest, most effective message possible.

The first chapter deals with simplicity, and after reading it, you will have engrained into memory that short is sweet. Today, American society is too tangled up in making its words fancy. So tangled up in fact, that we often confuse each other. Keeping a straightforward message is not only important, it is realistic. Zinsser entertained me with this passage:

"The airline pilot who announces that he is presently anticipating experiencing considerable precipitation wouldn't think of saying it may rain. The sentence is too simple--there must be something wrong with it."

Zinsser also says that the secret to good writing is to strip down everything you've written, examine it, and then build it back up again. Think of the process as cutting and burning a forest. Just as time is involved in allowing that forest to regrow, you must take time to rebuild your sentences. Practice makes perfect!

The next chapter focuses on managing clutter. To make your writing as strong as possible, you have to get rid of everything that isn't needed. Zinsser says that many sentences are too overloaded with adjectives. Don't fill your writing with unnecessary, unuseful, heavy, and silly adjectives-- like I just did.

I found it interesting, but true, that the polticial field has frequently used evasive wording and overloaded sentences to try and cover up the meaning of the truth. Zinsser spots this and cuts it down quickly:

"Clutter is the language of the Pentagon throwing dust in the eyes of the populace by calling an invasion a "reinforced protective reaction strike".

Don't make everything harder than it has to be. If it's quick and to the point, it's easier to understand. Decorating your sentences with extra words won't earn you respect, in fact, they may do just the opposite-- turn people off.

"On Writing Well" also discusses the importance of developing your own style. Zinsser says that although it sounds paradoxical, before we can develop an unmistakable style, we have to cut down our writing to the bare minimum. A very convincing passage was:

"Few people realize how badly they write. Nobody has shown them how much excess or murkiness has crept into their style and how it obstructs what they are trying to say."

Psychology also makes a somewhat unexpected appearance in the text. Zinsser says:

"Writing is an act of ego, and you might as well admit it. Use its energy to keep yourself going."

To be able to write well, you must be comfortable with yourself. When you are relaxed, you write better, and the reader notices it.

Another aspect to writing that cannot be forgotten is the audience. Before you can have a message that will affect thousands, you have to make sense to one person--yourself. The first goal a writer must accomplish is to gain satisfaction from what they write. Without confidence, you will go nowhere.

Writing, however, is meant to be read. A great writer will be able to please himself and also care about how the reader feels. When a harmonious balance between these two sides are found, you have discovered the key to powerful writing.

Keep in mind what you are writing about, and who you are writing to.

Next, we learn about word usage--basically finding the strongest word for the situation at hand. Most people already know how to use a writing tool, like a thesaurus and a dictionary, they're just too lazy to flip through its pages.

Zinsser reminds us to take full advantage of the writing implements and resources that are at our disposal--there's no reason not to.

I like how the author is fascinated with the way language works; they way words sound when strung together, and how letters appear on paper. Remember that readers hear what they're reading, and different sentence structures and word choices can mean the difference between a forceful statement and a bone dry sigh.

Following the previous chapter is one focusing on "Usage and Unity". This chapter seemed to be the only portion of the text I had a problem with. Zinsser relates to us that he was a member of an "advisory panel" who decided whether or not a certain word should be included in a dictionary.


Such words as "finalize" and "escalate" were just a few of the examples. While this may be important to him, I didn't understand why he thought it mattered to us that he was on an advisory panel. I do respect him, however, for analyzing the reasoning behind words like "mighty", and "regime", and their validity in writing.

I suppose the main point of the chapter is to help us separate usage from jargon. We need to avoid using technical terms; these often cause confusion among the general public. Instead, use common words that are universal to the language to keep all readers interested in what you write.

In the Unity chapter, Zinsser warns against switching points of view. If you write in first person, that's fine. Just don't switch in mid-story.

Also, if you find your material taking you in a different direction than you planned, let it take you there. As long as there are good feelings associated with the new direction you're taking, everything will flow naturally. I like what Zinsser says about this:

"Don't ever become the prisoner of a preconceived plan. Writing is no respecter of blueprints--it's too subjective a process, too full of surprises."

The first eight chapters in "On Writing Well" have inspired me to write more; be comfortable with myself, and most of all, to BE myself. After that, I have learned to hone what I write so that everyone can read and enjoy it for what it is; good writing.

The book splits itself into a second section, entitled "Forms and Methods". This section wasn't especially helpful to me because I am not yet a professional nonfiction writer. However, if you are, I suggest reading these chapters.

Chapter Nine takes on an historical perspective of nonfiction as literature, if only to serve as an inspiration to developing nonfiction writers. Zinsser marks the change in society from radio to television, and discusses that with the developing need for accurate information.

Chapter Ten deals with writing about people, and how to conduct an interview that is as easy and effective as possible. While important to nonfiction writers, it's not really that valuable to me....yet.

Chapter Eleven is focused solely on writing travel articles. I found it interesting that most professional writers like to use cliched phrases and jargon that everyone else uses. The author makes a strong point that we should write something that is especially notable; not something that happens everywhere else.

If you're on a beach, don't write about the rocks; write about the diverse bird habitat in the area. If you write about a local park, don't tell the reader that people line the pathways; tell them about the famous gardens, and name proper nouns so that they'll have something to identify. Even better if you can mix the unusual with the unknown; it's always interesting to tell someone something about a place that only a handful of people know about.

Chapter Twelve will help you write a memoir, or a piece about yourself. One of the strongest points made by the author in this chapter:

"If you write for yourself, you'll reach all the people you want to write FOR."

I like the fact, also, that Zinsser warns us against writing too much about ourselves and getting self-absorbed. We must remember to include other things like people, places, events, ideas, and emotions so that the reader doesn't feel like he's trapped into reading all about you.

Chapter Thirteen is sorely out of place. Titled "Bits and Pieces", it deals with proper usage of verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and punctuation. This chapter should have been included somewhere in the beginning of the book instead, perhaps between chapter six and seven, so that it would have better meshed with the rest of the chapters dealing with language mechanics.

There are other areas of interest. "On Writing Well" is chock full of useful information and strategies for writing in specific categories, such as science and technology, business and writing on the job, and sports. There is also a chapter that teaches you how to use the powerful skill of humor. You will even learn how to properly criticize a product or experience you don't like.

In concluding his book, Zinsser restates everything he said before, and reminds you that the key to successful writing is by mastering the skills read in this book. I couldn't agree with him more.

Although this is the first book I've read that was concerned with helping me write better, it is certainly one of the best. After reading What William Zinsser has to offer me, I know that I can write well; all I need to do is be myself and consistently work on what I write, tweaking my pieces down even to the letter. I need to use a dictionary and a thesaurus, and often. I also must remember that I'm not just writing for myself; there are people who read everything I type, and that will have an effect on what they think of me, and the product I'm reviewing.

With all the good stuff that "On Writing Well" has to offer, who could refuse? After reading the first few pages, I couldn't. This book has served me well, and will last a lifetime.

Of course, go read it!