My four articles of faith: clarity, simplicity, brevity and humanity.
Interpretation
The quote advocates for clear, simple, and concise communication, emphasizing the importance of humanity in expression.
William Zinsser's quote highlights four essential principles for effective communication. By prioritizing clarity, simplicity, brevity, and humanity, Zinsser encourages individuals to convey their ideas in a manner that is accessible and relatable to others. This approach fosters understanding and connection, making communication more impactful.
In practice
In a presentation to help colleagues, I would start with Zinsser's quote to emphasize the importance of clear communication.
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.
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.
Noise is the typographical error and the poorly designed page...Ambiguity is noise. Redundancy is noise. Misuse of words is noise. Vagueness is noise. Jargon is noise.
Only a madman would give good for evil
To be completely cured of newspapers, spend a year reading the previous week's newspapers.
Find people not to envy but to admire. Do not the profitable but the admirable deed. Live by ideals.
Faith is a never-ending pool of clarity, reaching far beyond the margins of consciousness. We all know more than we know we know.
Your timeless self does not age and has no fear of the future. Contemplate your physical self and all its possessions, and practice laughing peacefully at it all.
That luminous part of you that exists beyond personality - your soul, if you will - is as bright and shining as any that has ever been. Bright as Shakespeare’s, bright as Gandhi’s, bright as Mother Theresa’s. Clear away everything that keeps you separate from this secret luminous place. Believe it exists, come to know it better, nurture it, share its fruits tirelessly.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.