Think you’re not in a position to learn how to write like Hemingway?
Many business people faced with the task of persuasive writing for marketing purposes are quick to say:
“Hey, I’m no Hemingway!”
But really, who better than Hemingway to emulate?
Rather than embracing the flowery Cell Phone Number List prose of the literati, he chose to eschew obfuscation at every turn and write simply and clearly.
Hemingway’s writing style
“Succinct” is one of the most accurate words to describe Hemingway’s writing style.
Merriam-Webster defines succinct as:
“Marked by compact precise expression without wasted words.”
You’ll often find his name on a list of inspirational quotes for writers.
Keep reading to see why anyone who wants to write like Hemingway with persuasive language will need to give up long-winded explanations, tangents, and vague phrases.
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Ernest Hemingway’s top 5 tips for writing well
Now it’s time to jump into some Hemingway writing style examples. Let’s see what Ernest can teach us about how to write a good blog post.
These tips work for effective written content, as well as anything you might be writing for audio or video.
1. Use short sentences
Hemingway knew how to get to the point. He was famous for a terse minimalist style of writing that dispensed with adjectives. In short, Hemingway wrote with simple genius.
Perhaps his finest demonstration of short sentence prowess was when he was challenged to tell an entire story in only 6 words:
“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
2. Use short first paragraphs
See opening.
3. Use vigorous English
Here’s David Garfinkel’s take on how to write like Hemingway:
“It’s muscular, forceful. Vigorous English comes from passion, focus and intention. It’s the difference between putting in a good effort and TRYING to move a boulder … and actually sweating, grunting, straining your muscles to the point of exhaustion … and MOVING the freaking thing!”