Thread by @dbustac

Hemingway was one of the most successful fiction writers of his time.

But he could've also been a tremendous business writer.

His 4 rules for writing are a recipe for crafting a clear, potent message.

Here's how you can use them to produce 10x better content:

Hemingway’s 4 rules for great writing:

1. Use short sentences
2. Use vigorous English
3. Be positive, not negative
4. Use short first paragraphs

Let’s break down each one of them.

Short sentences are easy to understand.

Long, wordy sentences, on the other hand, are clunky, confusing and complicated.

See the difference?

To keep your sentences tight, use:

• Shorter words
• Fewer adjectives
• More "." than ","
• 1 sentence for each idea

Great writing is vigorous.

It reveals new information fast.

It elicits emotion.

It inspires action.

For vigorous writing, use:

• Storytelling
• Short sentences
• Active instead of passive voice
• Stronger verbs instead of adverbs

Great writing is positive.

It tells you what something is instead of what it isn't.

Why?

Because saying what something isn't creates confusion.

And confusion makes your message weak.

What you want is vigor and clarity.

Avoid using negative sentences as much as you can.

Imagine you're surfing the web, looking for an article to read.

You see a catchy headline.

You click on it.

Then...

Boom: first paragraph is a huge wall of text.

Just looking at it is exhausting.

What do you do?

Obviously, you run away and move on to the next article.

That's why it is so important to start with a short and compelling first paragraph.

Remember:

Every single sentence you write should give the reader a *good* reason to keep reading.

Otherwise, you'll lose them.

Writing well is the highest-leverage skill of the 21st century.

It multiplies the reach and value of all your other skills.

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TL;DR:

For clear & potent writing, use:

• Storytelling
• Shorter words
• Fewer adjectives
• More "." than ","
• 1 sentence for each idea
• Active voice instead of passive
• Stronger verbs instead of adverbs
• Short, compelling first paragraphs