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Write simply (2021)

paulgraham.com

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Re: Write simply (2021)

#41

Post by chefandy »

jimmyed wrote: post #7

> And remember, if you're writing in English, that a lot of your readers won't be native English speakers Just because some readers might not be proficient in English, we have to write plainly to accommodate them? What if they are seeking prose that makes them better at the language? This is a classic symptom of not having read enough literature. There is a visceral beauty in writing, and trying to place conditions o…

Nobody told you to dumb down poetry or artistic prose in which complex word usage conveys artistic meaning. Don't act oppressed because someone says we should consider the accessibility of our writing. If your writing conveys information and ideas that can be expressed simply, purple prose is probably an unwanted distraction for native speakers and an unnecessary barrier for non-native speakers. Use the right tools for the task.

Re: Write simply (2021)

#42

Post by [deleted] »

nonrandomstring wrote: post #29

Simplicity is one desirable aspect of writing, which is a technology. Graham's argument seems to be that simplicity makes writing effective. It can. But effective for what? To what end? The ecstasy of communication? Enhancing reach only makes sense if you have a message. The envelope for that message might also be passionate, sincere, vivid, playful, challenging, informative, and perhaps most of all - enjoyable for t…

[deleted]

Re: Write simply (2021)

#43

Post by xyzelement »

wilsonnb3 wrote: post #17

I get that this guy is like rich and famous and founded this website or something so people always post his stuff here but his writing always has this weird veneer of pseudo intellectual philosophy that I find very off putting.

Pg's writing often resonates with my experience, but I wouldn't have expressed the ideas nearly as clearly.

He's a keen observer and a good writer.

Re: Write simply (2021)

#45

Post by Wistar »

nonrandomstring wrote: post #29

Simplicity is one desirable aspect of writing, which is a technology. Graham's argument seems to be that simplicity makes writing effective. It can. But effective for what? To what end? The ecstasy of communication? Enhancing reach only makes sense if you have a message. The envelope for that message might also be passionate, sincere, vivid, playful, challenging, informative, and perhaps most of all - enjoyable for t…

A look at the less-simple direction:

"I do not know exactly why, in the twentieth century, the dominant fashions in English prose moved relentlessly in the direction of ever greater simplification and aesthetic minimalism. I do not even entirely regret it. Tastes change, and some of the change has been a corrective of certain excesses of the past. But, on the whole, the result has been a kind of official dogma in favor of a prose so denuded of nuance, elegance, intricacy, and originality as to be often little better than infantile, not only in vocabulary but also in artistry and expressive power—a formula, that is, for producing writers whose voices are utterly anonymous in their monotonous ordinariness. "

— David Bentley Hart, The Lamp, "How To Write English Prose" https://thelampmagazine.com/blog/how-to-write-english-prose

Re: Write simply (2021)

#46

Post by Barrin92 »

>My goal when writing might be called saltintesta: the ideas leap into your head and you barely notice the words that got them there.

Don't think this a thing to aim for. When you write you don't just want to convey meaning by what you write, but by how you write. People express meaning through style and form, not just through content.

It's very techbro-ish and it reminds me of a guy I met who replaced all his meals with Soylent because "taste and cooking is just a waste of time, this has the same nutrients".

This performative simplicity that makes a virtue out of not having fun, in this case with prose is really annoying.

Re: Write simply (2021)

#47

Post by [deleted] »

ramraj07 wrote: post #36
paulpauper wrote: post #10

This may be good advice for an instruction manual or children's books, but I think good prose is something of an art in and of itself. Some of the most successful writers do the opposite. Look at the articles that go viral ..you see that the prose is varied and even complicated, not just simple. The best prose is that which conveys the intended message for the intended audience in the best way possible. I think it's…

Even his own article about writing simply used the word “expend” in the third sentence. Maybe I’m an indian hillybilly but that sounds quite non-simple to me lol.

[deleted]

Re: Write simply (2021)

#49

Post by vore »

deadbolt wrote: post #39
vore wrote: post #19

Kind of ironic he starts off with "I try to write using ordinary words and simple sentences" then dedicates an entire paragraph to making up an Italian word that really doesn't add anything to his point.

I figured that was to quickly drive the point home. Maybe I'm giving more credit to PG than is due, but that paragraph seemed tongue-in-cheek. I feel it would be hard for anyone to miss the irony.

Poe's law, etc.

Re: Write simply (2021)

#50

Post by vishnugupta »

wilsonnb3 wrote: post #17

I get that this guy is like rich and famous and founded this website or something so people always post his stuff here but his writing always has this weird veneer of pseudo intellectual philosophy that I find very off putting.

His writings from back in the days when he was operating are insightful. But now that he's semi-retired his posts' signal to noise ratio has plummeted.
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