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Chapter 4
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in On Writing Well, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Human Element
Simplicity vs. Clutter
Process and Organization
The Gift of Writing
Summary
Analysis
Writers often wonder who they’re writing for. The only real answer is themselves. Rather than trying to imagine an ideal editor or reader, Zinsser argues, writers should focus on enjoying themselves. This is the best way to attract and entertain the reader. It’s true that writers should be extremely attentive to their readers in terms of craft—they should avoid being sloppy or confusing. But in terms of attitude, great writers communicate their own feelings and ignore the reader’s. Zinsser admits that this distinction can be confusing. Craft, or rewriting sentences to make them cleaner, is a mechanical process. But attitude is a creative process based on self-expression. It can take years for writers to find their true voice, which is essential for all good writing.
The difference between craft and attitude is the same as the difference between mechanics and style. Mechanics are a pre-requisite to style: writers can’t be compelling until they’re clear. And once they’re clear, they still have to be interesting, honest, and courageous. Zinsser advocates writing for oneself because it’s the best way to develop these traits. Writers are more likely to be interesting if they’re writing about things that truly interest them. And if they can’t be honest and vulnerable with themselves, they certainly won’t be with their readers.
Themes
Zinsser looks at three examples of writers who successfully convey their personality without losing clarity. First, E.B. White writes about his sincere love for hens, and Zinsser finds it inspiring even though he couldn’t care less about poultry. Next, H.L. Mencken’s ornate, sarcastic account of the Scopes “Monkey Trial” is just as compelling, even though its style couldn’t be any more different from White’s. Both were successful because they wrote for themselves and didn’t care whether their readers agreed with them or not. Finally, in his memoir about teaching eighth grade, James Herndon manages to be righteous but not pretentious because his writing conveys his original sense of humor.
White is sincere, Mencken is sarcastic, and Herndon is both. But all of them are clear, and all of them are enjoying themselves. These examples show that clarity never prevents writers from developing a style—it can only ever help them. They also show that a wide variety of styles can captivate the reader. The only thing that makes a style right or wrong is whether it fits the writer. E.B. White’s eager, genuine style makes a mundane topic interesting, but poor style can ruin even the most compelling topic. This shows that writers’ passion and enthusiasm are infectious: they tend to excite a reader and keep them going. Meanwhile, Mencken and Herndon both use satire to effectively make serious points, which foreshadows Zinsser’s argument in his chapter on humor.
Themes
