In On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction, journalist and writing professor William Zinsser argues that good writing boils down to a few essential principles. The best writers use clear and precise language, show warmth and personality, and work hard to entertain the reader. These key elements are the same for everyone, regardless of their age, experience, or field. And everyone can benefit from improving their writing. For instance, businesspeople can communicate more effectively with their teams, scientists can better explain their work, and elders can leave memoirs for their descendants. The fundamentals of good writing never change because all writers have the same goal: “saying something that other people will want to read.” Zinsser organizes his book into four parts: “Principles,” “Methods,” “Forms,” and “Attitudes.”
Zinsser starts the “Principles” section by admitting that every writer finds their own process: there’s no right or wrong way to put words on paper. But all writing processes require vulnerability and tension, because all writers are trying to tell a basic truth that they’re holding inside. So, all writing is really a “personal transaction” between the writer and reader.
To actually reach their readers, writers should try to be clear and direct. But first, they have to learn to think clearly. This can be hard, because many people think that they should use complex language to sound more sophisticated. But actually, they use cluttered language and end up sounding confused. Poor writers replace short words with long ones, single words with phrases, and common terms with popular jargon. They say things like “at the present time” instead of “now,” or they stick “I might add” or “it is interesting to note” at the end of every sentence.
Many writers confuse this kind of clutter for style, but the first step to developing a true style is actually learning to eliminate clutter. Only later can writers find their authentic voices. To do this, they should write for themselves, rather than trying to satisfy any specific audience. In particular, they should be obsessive about choosing the right words. The range of acceptable usages changes over time, but jargon is never good taste.
In the “Methods” section, Zinsser argues that writing is really about problem-solving: writers have to decide what material to include and how to organize it. First, they should create unity in their work by sticking to the same pronouns, tense, mood, and voice throughout each piece. Next, the most important part of an article is the very beginning, or the lead, which has to grab and hold the reader’s attention. But Zinsser uses examples to show that many different kinds of leads can work, depending on the story and the writer’s style. Similarly, instead of trying to conclude their articles with a summary, writers should just end when they run out of fresh, relevant material—and preferably on an entertaining note.
The next chapter, “Bits & Pieces,” covers tips that don’t fit elsewhere in the book. Zinsser starts with basic mechanics: writers should use active verbs, avoid unnecessary adjectives and adverbs, and choose gender-neutral terms. Then, he turns to more general principles. For instance, writing well is mostly about rewriting, and the best writers let their most interesting details speak for themselves, rather than putting spin on them.
In the “Forms” section of On Writing Well, Zinsser advises his readers on how to approach all the major forms of nonfiction writing. He starts by defending the controversial idea that nonfiction counts as literature, just like fiction and poetry. He points out that many of the most influential American writers after World War II, like Joan Didion and Tom Wolfe, mix traditional reporting, personal narrative, and literary techniques to tell compelling true stories. Most of these stories are about people and places, so Zinsser’s next two chapters focus on effective interviewing and travel writing skills. Writers should learn to draw “the human element” out of interviews, take useful notes, and arrange people’s quotes without misrepresenting their views. Next, travel writing is often unfocused and full of clichés, so travel writers should learn to be extremely selective with both their language and the scope of their work. Similarly, the best memoirists focus on compelling characters and specific details, which let them give readers new perspectives on life and identity.
Science and technology assignments tend to scare new writers, but they actually depend on the same basic skill as all other nonfiction: clear, logical thinking. Good science writers shape complex information into an accessible, relatable story about how specific discoveries shape people’s lives. Next, Zinsser turns to business writing, which tends to be artificial, cluttered, and uninspiring. Businesspeople should cut out the jargon and write in their own voices. This is the best way to connect with colleagues and customers, who want to hear from real people, not faceless institutions.
Like travel writing, sports writing is full of tired clichés. The best sportswriters know how to cut them out and tell compelling stories that connect sports to universal human experiences. Art and entertainment writers get the luxury of presenting their opinions to the public, but they also have an important responsibility to help readers understand the context and history of certain art forms. Finally, humor is writers’ “secret weapon,” because it lets them say things that they wouldn’t be able to publish otherwise. Whether humorists are making serious political arguments or just entertaining, Zinsser argues, they have a responsibility to speak the truth.
Finally, in the “Attitudes” section of his book, Zinsser gives aspiring writers more general advice on how to approach the craft. The best way to develop a distinctive voice is by studying and imitating other writers. The most successful writers are enthusiastic about their work because they write about what interests them.
Aspiring writers should also focus more on the writing process and less on the final product. Zinsser explains how he trains students to tackle the “big decisions” in writing, like how widely to research and how to structure long pieces. And he walks the reader through his article “The News from Timbuktu” to show how he makes the countless “little decisions,” like what words to use and how to hold the reader’s attention.
In his second-to-last chapter, Zinsser explains how elders should approach writing family histories and memoirs, to create a valuable record for future generations. He concludes On Writing Well by imploring writers to take accountability for their work. They’re responsible for maintaining high standards, defending their style against unruly editors, and preserving their own moral integrity.
