It's a famous Dutch TV-moment, in which a man is pushed to say what he has to say, but shorter. The exchange goes like this: “A beautiful decorative porcelain basket from Makkum, made by the Tichelaar company.” “Shorter!”
“Basket by Tichelaar.” “Shorter!”, upon which the man shouts “BASKET!”. An entire sentence, reduced to its essence. Okay, Hemingway used slightly more words than that, but he never wasted any. And that’s exactly why he’s so popular among copywriters. In this blog, you’ll read all about Hemingway’s writing style, or how to say a lot with very few words.
ConcretE minimalism
From For Whom the Bell Tolls and A Farewell to Arms to The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway’s influence is immense. His books have been turned into films, rock ‘n’ roll songs bear his titles, and there’s even a Hemingway app to help you improve your text quality. But what exactly makes his language so unique?
Hemingway is known as a writer who uses language with exceptional care: so concrete it’s almost tangible, and not a word too many. For example:
A slightly poetic person might write: “My goal is to paint a vivid portrait with words of what I perceive and experience. Every detail, every feeling, captured in language that reveals both beauty and truth in their purest form.”
Hemingway, on the other hand, says the same thing but writes this:
“My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way.”
The inverted pyramid
Hemingway began his career at 17 as a journalist, trained to write using the inverted pyramid method. This approach starts with the core (the “Lead”), then provides explanations and details (the “Body”), and finally rounds the story off with extra context or fringe elements (the “Tail”). In short: you get straight to the point.
When Hemingway turned to fiction writing, he kept this approach. However, for fiction, it was revolutionary. He made an impact through the way he conveyed his message and is renowned for his “Iceberg Theory” (often referred to in modern writing as “Show, don’t tell”). He explained it like this: anything that detracts from the essence, or that the reader can figure out or imagine for themselves, should be taken out.
This means you have to be incredibly precise with word choice, because if you simply cut words or choose ones that miss the mark, you’ll lose the submerged part of the iceberg. And it’s precisely this submerged part, Hemingway said, that you need “to make the part above the surface move with dignity.”
Hemingway for your brand
Got just 60 characters to convey your message? Or a slogan that has to fit within the broadcast limit? Then you’ll want to make your message as compact as possible. Time to channel your inner Hemingway! How? Here are his top tips:
1. write truthfully
“All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.”
- Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast (1964).
In other words: distill your message into a single sentence. If it feels authentic, you’ve captured the essence.
2. KEEP IT SIMPLE
“'You're going to write straight and simple and good now. That's the start.'
'What if I'm not straight and simple and good? Do you think I can write that way?'
'Write how you are but make it straight.'”
- Ernest Hemingway, Islands in the Stream (1970).
Hemingway was a fan of short sentences and he avoided abstract terms. Simple also means: a positive message is always better than a reversed negative one. For instance, if you mention a 'stress-free' transition, the word 'stress' might trigger the alarm. It’s better to talk about an 'easy' transition.
3. write with conviction
“Once you are into the novel it is as cowardly to worry about whether you can go on to the next day as to worry about having to go into inevitable action. You have to go on. So there is no sense to worry…”
- Arnold Samuelson, With Hemingway: A year in Key West and Cuba, Arnold Samuelson (1984).
Writing is doing. Hemingway advised Arnold Samuelson, a young journalist aspiring to write, that creativity flows naturally when you write with conviction. He also encouraged him never to drain himself to the point of creative exhaustion. Writing should be like a spring: always leave a little water at the bottom so it can replenish itself. Because writing without conviction is a waste of time. This applies to marketing texts too: if you don’t feel it, you can’t convey it.
4. Write about what you know
“When writing a novel a writer should create living people; not characters. A character is a caricature.”
- Ernest Hemingway, Death in the Afternoon (1932).
Although Hemingway was talking about authentic characters, this quote can be summarized as: make it real. Whether it’s a product or tailoring your message to your audience, people can tell when the hidden part of your iceberg is missing. Avoid missteps by diving deep and fully understanding the subject. Only then can you create an authentic story.
5. Writing means Reading
“There is no friend as loyal as a book”
- Ernest Hemingway
When Arnold Samuelson visited Hemingway for writing advice, they discovered Samuelson hadn’t read many classics. Hemingway immediately wrote down this list of essential titles. Even though they might not entirely be your cup of tea, studying their style and structure can offer valuable insights for your own writing.
Not such a Hemingway, but craving great copy? Our language enthusiasts are ready to help! We’ll dive deep into your subject matter and transform it into textual icebergs that won’t be easily toppled.