Notes from the Elements of Style

I moved on to the Elements of Style after reading How to Take Smart Notes. You can read my review and notes on How to Take Smart Notes here. This post is the notes I put together while reading the Elements of Style.

This article describes several rules mentioned in this post. The article delivers so much value without losing conciseness. I recommend you start by reading that article as it sets the tone nicely for the rest of this post. The article also provides examples of how to put some of the common rules into practice. Examples are lacking in this post.

The fourth edition of the book which I read has five sections:

1. Elementary rules of usage
2. Elementary principles of composition
3. A few matters of form
4. Words and expressions commonly misused
5. An approach to style

I spent time on the second and fifth sections from this list and my notes are limited to those only.

The rest of this post will read like a study note.

Principles of Composition #

Choose a destination before starting #

Write with an end in sight. You choose the topic, structure, what you wish to say, and how you would say it. Work to meet this goal. Not in all cases will writing require a scheme. But in most cases, you should start with a plan.

Determine the shape of what is to come and pursue that shape.

The more you envision this shape, the better your chances of delivering quality writing.

Use paragraphs as a unit of composition #

Discuss a single topic in a paragraph. The paragraph signals to the reader that a new part of the development is being introduced. The first sentence in the paragraph introduces or suggests the topic of the paragraph. The first sentence can also help transition into the topic.

Use the active voice #

The active voice should be used over the passive voice. The active voice is clearer and more indicative of the subject(who acted). By extension, active sentences are also shorter.

Put statements in positive form #

Avoid negative statements(with the use of not). Readers do not want to be told what is not, but what is. You do not sound authoritative when you use negative sentences. Which shows you lack a command of the content. Avoid auxiliaries like would, should, could, may, might and can. Save them for real uncertainties.

Use definite, specific, concrete language #

Be specific instead of general, definite instead of vague, and concrete instead of abstract. It is here that the writer introduces writing with vigour. Definite, specific and concrete language adds vigour to writing.

Omit needless words #

The most brutal principle yet. The author states that a sentence should have no needless words. A paragraph no needless sentence. In the same way, a painting does not have an unnecessary line, and a machine has no unnecessary parts.

This conciseness also contributes to this concept of vigorous writing the writer introduced in the last rule.

Express coordinate ideas in similar forms #

An example of this parallel construction is the Beatitudes in the Christian Bible.

Keep to one tense #

This I have to remember.

An Approach to style - A list of reminders #

These are reminders, in verbatim, at the end of the book:

1. Place yourself in the background.
2. Write in a way that comes naturally to you. This means to try not to imitate style. Your style will emerge if you write well.
3. Work from a suitable design. This is the same “Choose a destination before starting” rule from Principles of Composition above.
4. Write with nouns and verbs. Avoid adverbs and adjectives
5. Revise and rewrite.
6. Do not overwrite.
7. Do not overstate.
8. Avoid the use of qualifiers. Yes, the book is very prescriptive. Rather, very, little, pretty are examples of qualifiers.
9. Do not explain too much.
10. Do not construct awkward adverbs. Avoid adding -ly to adjectives.
11. Avoid fancy words.
12. Be clear.
13. Do not inject opinion

Conclusion #

This book is difficult to review as it contains good and bad parts. There are a few inconsistencies in the book. You will find the authors breaking their rules in several cases.

I liked the Principles of Composition section. The reader will find a lot of rules to improve their writing there.

The List of reminders acted as some form of reinforcement of the previous rules, and a means of introducing new ones. I picked up some valuable advice there as well.

In conclusion, the book is a good read, considering it took me less than 6 hours to consume the content I found interesting.