In Elements of Style, E.B. White writes: “A sentence should
contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences,
for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines
and a machine no unnecessary part.” If you agree with the premise of
the early 20th century Ivy League scholar, you’re at the gates of editor
heaven.
The Elements of Style handbook by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B.
White keeps me honest if not erudite. William Strunk was White’s
English professor at Cornel University long before anyone reading this
was born. White went on to author Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little
and numerous essays. Even though the older Strunk created the famous
little book, it was White who first updated and published it. Revised
many times since, the book lives on inside the pockets and on the desks
of seasoned writers and journalists who want to write better.
Life, love and the pursuit of writing are all about style and passion. Zadie
Smith, (White Teeth, On Beauty) is one of today’s brightest best
selling authors. She says she owes her recent success to 19th century
novelist, E.M. Forster (Howard’s End, Wings of The Dove). Here’s
what Zadie says about Forster’s influence. “He gave me a classy old
frame, which I covered with new material as best I could.”
Style and passion never go out of fashion. I try not to be in love with my
own words, or use fancy phraseology. I find windiness boring. It may
stroke the ego, but it sure tires the reader. Unless, like Zadie Smith, you
have an excellent ear for dialect, it too becomes an annoying hindrance.
The latest buzzwords (dude, hottie) make for great commercial copy. But
in literature they soon become yesterday’s newspaper. I haven’t finished
reading all of Charles Dickens, but I’ve yet to find a line, a phrase that
doesn’t ring true today.
Theoretically, a split infinitive is when one or more words separate the
verb and to (to boldly go). Does anyone know where the person who
wrote that copy line went? At this moment, he and the late Gene
Roddenberry, creator of Captain Kirk, are probably lounging by the pool
of their own private solar system, counting their lucky stars. But let’s not
confuse good commercial copy with literature.
I’d like to say a word about dialog. Here are two people talking, from
David Baldacci’s Best Seller, The Camel Club.
“I say you crazy,” she responded testily.
“Perhaps you’re right and I thank you for your concern,” he said politely.
One of the most influential writers of the 20th century, Ernest
Hemingway probably would have said it this way:
“I say you crazy.”
“Perhaps, and I thank you for your concern.”
Of course, in the context of the story we have to know who said what.
Sometimes the writer must include the he-said-she said. But why clutter
the action with unnecessary modifiers when the words
speak for themselves?
Coming Next: The writing world has entered the Web’s information
highway with reckless abandon. But watch out for back roads that lead
to bastardizing the English language, and dead-ends where students
confuse Jabberwocky with gibberish. My next article On Writing will
include how lazy writing for the Web can spill over to the work place,
and how to avoid unscrupulous agents that scam unsuspecting writers.
They’re out there, in profusion.
Susan Scharfman is a former Foreign Service officer and writer/editor at
http://www.susanscharfman.com
