Clutter is the disease of American writing.
Interpretation
Clutter in writing obscures clarity and effectiveness. Good writing is concise and clear.
William Zinsser's quote underscores the importance of clarity in writing by suggesting that excessive clutter—be it unnecessary words, jargon, or convoluted sentence structures—detracts from the effectiveness of communication. Emphasizing simplicity and directness, Zinsser advocates for a writing style that engages the reader and conveys ideas with precision, which is essential for effective writing, especially in American literary traditions.
In practice
This quote can be shared during a writing workshop to emphasize good practices.
Writing is hard work. A clear sentence is no accident. Very few sentences come out right the first time, or even the third time. Remember this in moments of despair. If you find that writing is hard, it's because it is hard. It's one of the hardest things that people do
Never hesitate to imitate another writer. Imitation is part of the creative process for anyone learning an art or a craft. Bach and Picasso didn't spring full-blown as Bach or Picasso; they needed models. This is especially true of writing.
Good writing is lean and confident.
My four articles of faith: clarity, simplicity, brevity and humanity.
I have no interest in teaching writers how to sell. I want to teach them how to write. If the process is sound, the product will take care of itself, and sales are likely to follow.
Don't hedge your prose with little timidities. Good writing is lean and confident. . . . Every little qualifier whittles away some fraction of the reader's trust. Readers want a writer who believes in himself and in what he is saying. Don't diminish that belief. Don't be kind of bold. Be bold.
When I write, I'm still imagining a kid reading it on paper. I read e-books when I travel, but in general I still prefer holding an old-fashioned book in my hands. There's a special, tactile experience.
The problem in our society and in our schools is to inclulcate, without overdoing it, the notion of education, as in the Latin educere--to lead, to bring out what is in someone rather than merely to indoctrinate him/her from the outside. (89)
The child’s parents are not his makers but his guardians.
No instance exists of a person's writing two language perfectly. That will always appear to be his native language which was most familiar to him in his youth.
The difficulty in a number of Western democracies is that the playing field is being tilted. For many in the middle class, prosperity seems unattainable because a good education - today's passport to riches - is unaffordable.
Do not be afraid to ask for help. Nobody gets through college on their own.
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