On Writing Well by William Zinsser

This books talk about to write non-fiction in a way people would want to read it. Often when i read something that grabs my attention and which i feel like obsessively reading till the end, the writing feels so easy. But there is a lot of craft and effort behind making the writing feel like it's easy. And that is essentially what this book is all about. 

It lived up to all the hype and tremendous Amazon reviews that it carried. I found the book very useful. But i think i would need to re-visit the book a few times before it settles in properly inside me. 

One forgets that writing, like painting and sculpting, is a craft. Everyone can write but that does not mean they write well. You have to really keep at it, consistently, to be able to hone this craft. And knowledgeable readers will be able to recognise good writing when they see it. A thing that does not get enough attention is that, a good writer also develops his or her own voice. What this means is that -  firstly, it takes a lot of effort and self-reflection to find that voice; and secondly. not all good writing looks the same, the voice of a good writer is the unique flavor their writing carries. 

The one most important lesson for me that i take away from this book is - every article has to say something unique about the subject that it's written on. One has to think long and hard about this even before one starts to write. And often, as one writes, this 'something to say' can change in shape and size - and thats because writing is not just a physical act of putting words on paper, writing = thinking. 

Another thing that stuck with me from the book is how writing is essentially a solitary craft. It is a painstaking effort which the writer has to endure on their own, for hours and hours. This needs a lot of mental and i would say physical strength as well. 

I summarize below, for my benefit, the key learnings from the book:

For articles of faith while writing:

1. Clarity - be very clear on the message you want to delivery 
2. Simplicity - write about it simply
3. Brevity - use small words, show dont tell
4. Humanity - show that there is a human writing the words, say what you felt, show genuine emotions

Sone more advice that i have written down at the back of the book:

• Use active voice
• Use active verbs
• Show that there is a human writing
• Use short and strong words
• Show the regional roots that your language and style contain
• The reader has to feel that the writer was feeling good about writing the words that she is reading
• Think about - why do you want to write about what you want to write about?
• Never be afraid to break one long sentence into two short ones, or even three
• Think about - what is the piece really about?
• When a story tells you it's over, look for the exit. 

The one lesson that shows up again and again in the book is - write simply, reduce when you can. But the book misses to talk about the kind of writing where some amount of flourish is needed, i felt. 'Write simple' might not always work. But it is very difficult to land that flourish that right away. And most writers / aspiring writers would benefit more from the advice to write simply, Considering that, the book maybe lands a good balance.