E. B. White and The Soul of Brevity

By Jack Breslin

One of the books I’ve always valued and endorsed as a guide for effective writing has been Elements of Style, authored by E. B. White and William Strunk, Jr.

Yes, that E. B. White who wrote Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little.

It’s an exceptionally thin volume, which is testimony to its essential message: eliminate the unnecessary.

The key to persuasive writing, White maintains, is not flowery, long-winded passages of extraordinary descriptions, crammed with adjectives. Instead, the key is to be a good editor. Clear and provocative images and scenes can be created with fewer, well-chosen words. One must employ discipline and avoid self-indulgence.

Not that the process is easy. As the French philosopher Blaise Pascal noted in a letter to a friend, “I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”

In these days of shortened attention spans and social media platforms that require condensed messages, it’s an especially relevant guideline.

After you write a direct mail letter … or email … or blog … review it. Critically. You’ll be surprised how some prudent and objective edits can get your message across in a more powerful way.

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