The Life-Changing Message of William Zinsser

“Don’t say you were a bit confused and sort of tired and a little depressed and somewhat annoyed. Be confused. Be tired. Be depressed. Be annoyed. Don’t hedge your prose with little timidities. Good writing is lean and confident.”

William Zinsser

Have you noticed the tendency to include elaborate descriptions, adjectives up the wazoo, and dialogue that seems either lifeless or exhaustively pointless? A bit like that last sentence? It’s not new, in fact, many of the great writers of days gone by might be guilty of writing beyond the reader’s interest.

Each word must have a purpose, according to William Zinsser. It is the consistent insight he offered to students attending his Yale writing classes in the 1960’s. “Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity.”

I’ve purchased a book or two that needed his input, haven’t you? Sentences so long and descriptive you were forced to circle back to the start to remember the topic at hand.

So, who is this word wizard?

William Zinsser was a lifelong journalist and non-fiction writer. His career began in the news business in 1946, writing for the New York Herald Tribune. His work would ultimately include 18 books on a variety of topics including jazz, travel, and a memoir. But he may be most remembered as the author of the highly acclaimed book, On Writing Well. With a focus on the craft, the book has undergone seven revisions covering three decades.

Because I am a book hoarder and consider my favorite volumes priceless, my shelves have long outgrown the ability to hold them all. As I began to create the format for this column, I waded into the collection of boxes stored in the garage. My husband considers them invaders in his sanctuary. There in a misshapen cardboard tomb, I spy the 30^th Anniversary Edition of Zinsser’s book. The cover copy beats the drum: More Than One Million Copies Sold.

Appears the author might have found his audience.

Long before “writing tight” was inscribed in our mind, Zinsser focused on a lean approach to storytelling. It was devoid of the adjective addiction that plagued many of the publishing world’s favorites. Did he instinctively know? As you read his observations of the writers of his day, I believe it is the respect Zinsser had for his audience that ruled his writing philosophy.

“The adjective that exists solely as decoration is a self-indulgence for the writer and a burden for the reader.”

William Zinsser

It’s one of my favorite quotes. As a writing coach, I observe many starting out, still new to writing, who stumble into this trap. But it’s not just the newbies. Many writers develop habits during their early years they never abandon; they consider them “part of my style.” These writers view the reader as one with fewer than five senses, requiring elaborate descriptions of what they could easily envision on their own. The reader is forced to abandon his or her imagination to embrace that of the author. It’s a loss for both parties.

Writing lean, writing tight will always be a characteristic of strong writing. Expand your word knowledge. Make the synonym finder your best friend. Choose the right words rather than many words. It will delight your readers and you might just hear Zinsser chuckle from that amazing library in the sky.

Thanks for taking time today to read this first foray into my new column here at Almost an Author. Craft Essentials: From A to Zinsser will appear monthly in the Craft tab. If you’re serious about advancing your skills and focused on the next steps of your writing journey, I invite you to join us. Perhaps you too, will find life-changing messages in the wit and wisdom of William Zinsser.

Deborah DeArmond is a recognized leader in the fields of performance development, facilitation. She is a certified writing coach as well as an executive business coach. She is also an award-winning author.

Deb’s the author of Related by Chance, Family by Choice, I Choose You Today, and Don’t Go to Bed Angry. Stay Up and Fight! All three books focus on relationship dynamics, communication, and conflict resolution. Her humorous devotional entitled Bumper Sticker Be-Attitudes was published in late 2019. Her newest release, We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished: Making the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life will be available in late July. She has published more than 200 articles in print and online, including a monthly column, now in her 7^th year for Lifeway Magazine with an international circulation of 300,000.

Deb helps clients achieve success in becoming the coach others desire to work through through her engaging inquiry, humor, and straightforward approach. Her clients have described Deb as “candid but kind” and skilled at asking the questions that help “guide others to discover their answers and solutions to success.”

• Website: debdearmod.com
• Pinterest Deb DeArmond
• Facebook Author Deb DeArmond