How To Write Clearly

Summary of "The Elements of Style" by William Strunk Jr.

📚 The Elements of Style is a classic book on writing.

🕒 Save time by reading my summary.

✍️ You'll discover the keys to crafting clear, concise, and compelling prose.

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My summary is broken into four posts:

Part 1: What is “good” writing?

Part 2: How to write clearly

Part 3: The 9 words you might be using incorrectly

Part 4: How to find your writing style

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Here is Part 2:

Clarity is something to strive for in your writing.

Readers shouldn’t ever get confused and have to reread sentences.

We want to ensure a smooth experience so they can get lost in our fictional worlds.

Here are three techniques for writing clearly:

1. Use the active voice

2. Put statements in positive form

3. Structure for readability

1. Use the active voice:

Active voice = A sentence construction where the subject performs the action.

In other words, a straightforward order of subject, verb, and object.

The active voice is usually more direct and easier to read than the passive voice.

Let’s compare sentences written in active vs. passive voice:

• Active Voice: “I will always remember my first visit to Boston.”

  • The subject acts within the sentence

• Passive Voice: “My first visit to Boston will always be remembered by me.”

  • The subject is acted upon within the sentence

The active voice invites clarity and directness into your sentences. Readers are able to follow along more easily.

This doesn’t mean you should always write in the active voice. Using passive voice is sometimes necessary to vary your sentence structure and help your writing rhythm.

When a sentence is made stronger using the active voice, it usually becomes shorter:

There were a great number of dead leaves lying on the ground.

Dead leaves covered the ground.

At dawn the crowning of a rooster could be heard.

The rooster’s crow came with dawn.

The reason he left college was that his health became impaired.

Failing health compelled him to leave college.

It was not long before she was very sorry that she had said what she said.

She soon repented her words.

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2. Put statements in positive form:

Make definite assertions in your writing.

Weak Statement: He was not very happy (negative form)

Strong Statement: He was furious (positive form)

Avoid tame, colorless, hesitating, noncommittal language.

Don’t tell readers what is not, tell them what is.

He was not very often on time.

He usually came late.

She did not think that studying Latin was a sensible way to use one’s time.

She thought the study of Latin a waste of time.

The Taming of the Shrew is rather weak in spots. Shakespeare does not portray Katharine as a very admirable character, nor does Bianca remain long in memory as an important character in Shakespeare’s works.

The women in The Taming of the Shrew are unattractive. Katharine is disagreeable, Bianca insignificant.

Express even a negative in positive form.

not honest

dishonest

did not remember

forgot

did not pay attention to

ignored

did not have much confidence in

distrusted

If your every sentence admits a doubt, your writing will lack authority.

Save the auxiliaries would, should, could, may, might, and can for the situations involving real uncertainty.

If you would let us know the time of your arrival, we would be happy to arrange your transportation from the airport.

If you will let us know the time of your arrival, we shall be happy to arrange your transportation from the airport.

Applicants can make a good impression by being neat and punctual.

Applicants will make a good impression if they are neat and punctual.

Plath may be rank among those modern poets who died young.

Plath was one of those modern poets who died young.

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3. Structure for readability

A paragraph may be of any length—a single, short sentence or a passage of great duration.

But after a paragraph has been written, see whether division will improve it.

Enormous blocks of print look formidable to readers, who are often reluctant to tackle them. Breaking long paragraphs in two is often a visual help.

But remember that firing off many short paragraphs in quick succession can be distracting. Paragraph breaks used only for show read like display advertising.

As a rule, begin each paragraph either with a sentence that suggests the topic or with a sentence that helps the transition.

In dialogue, each speech, a new paragraph begins with each change of speaker.

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Continue reading the other parts of The Elements of Style summary:

Part 1: What is “good” writing?

Part 2: How to write clearly

Part 3: The 9 words you might be using incorrectly

Part 4: How to find your writing style

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