Quick Tips on Writing from Ernest Hemingway & Kurt Vonnegut (Compiled by Allen Loibner-Waitkus)

QUICK TIPS ON WRITING from Ernest Hemingway & Kurt Vonnegut ALLEN LOIBNER-WAITKUS

HEMINGWAY

Four Amazing Rules for All Writers

1. USE SHORT SENTENCES.

While sophisticated writing should include simple, compound, complex, and

compound-complex sentences, don’t bog your readers down with 100-word

sentences. Shorter sentences move your readers along and don’t make them feel

like they have to put significant effort into reading.

2. USE SHORT FIRST PARAGRAPHS.

Three to five sentences is plenty. Get to the point.

3. USE VIGOROUS ENGLISH.

Vigorous English is all about focus. Find the perfect word, not the easy word. Using

vigorous language requires you to revise, revise, and revise again. Once your draft is

complete, look at each word. Is there a better, stronger word you could use?

4. BE POSITIVE, NOT NEGATIVE.

This does not mean everything has to be sunshine and unicorns. Write

“economical,” not “inexpensive.” Write “bad,” not “not good.”

VONNEGUT Seven Rules on Writing Anything

1. FIND A SUBJECT YOU CARE ABOUT.

If you don’t care about what you write, how the hell is the reader supposed to?

2. DO NOT RAMBLE. 3. KEEP IT SIMPLE. 4. HAVE THE GUTS TO CUT.

Revise. Edit. Proofread. Cut anything that’s not doing something.

5. SOUND LIKE YOURSELF.

Don’t try to sound like your idea of what a writer should sound like. Be yourself.

6. SAY WHAT YOU MEAN TO SAY.

Get to the damn point. Stay focused.

7. PITY THE READER.

lw

LOIBNER-WAITKUS