Strategically outlined in William Zinsser's “On Writing Well”, are the key elements that provide a guide for nonfiction writers to perfect their craft. Zinsser emphasises the importance of simplicity when writing in order to free ones work of unnecessary clutter and hold the reader's attention. Many of the concepts discussed by Zinsser are can be seen in James Baldwin's collection of essays entitled Notes of a Native Son, which falls anything short of a boring memoir. Baldwin takes the reader on a journey as he discusses racial matters in American society, his identity as an African American, and critiquing protest novels, movies and America as a whole. The transparency and honesty with which Baldwin writes makes his work exceptional and captivating.
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Don't try to visualize the great mass audience. There is no such audience- every reader is a different person” (Zinsser 24) When a writer tries to target a specific audience, they lose what makes them unique. This leaves them with a void that can't be filled, as there is no way for a writer to satisfy every kind of reader. Baldwin however, stays true to himself and leaves all his unfiltered thoughts out on the table as he critiques one of the most popular works of his time, Richard Wright's Native Son, saying “ The feeling which prevailed at the time of its publication was that such a novel, bitter, uncompromising, shocking, gave proof, by its very existence, of what strides might be taken in a free democracy; and its indisputable success, proof that …show more content…
Simply put by Zinsser, “Keep your paragraphs short. Writing is visual- it catches the eye before it has a chance to catch the brain. Short paragraphs put air around what you write and make it look inviting, whereas a long chunk of type can discourage a reader from even starting to read.” (Zinsser 79) Appropriate paragraphing is that which has purpose and meaning, it allows the reader to follow a story without getting lost along the way. Baldwin follows just that when telling the story of the the time a diner refused to serve him because he black. He does so in short paragraphs telling the story chronologically. One reads, “So I pretended not to have understood her, hoping to draw her closer. And she did not step a very short step closer, with her pencil poised incongruously over her pad, and repeated the formula: ‘... don't serve Negroes here.’” (Baldwin 98) In the following paragraphs, Baldwin throws a glass of water at the waitress, has a moment of realization on his way home when he understands that the hatred inside of him was a direct result of racism causing him to be self-destructive. Baldwin's use of concise paragraphs whilst telling the story keeps the reader's attention and focus on what is being told resulting in a successful story being
Don't try to visualize the great mass audience. There is no such audience- every reader is a different person” (Zinsser 24) When a writer tries to target a specific audience, they lose what makes them unique. This leaves them with a void that can't be filled, as there is no way for a writer to satisfy every kind of reader. Baldwin however, stays true to himself and leaves all his unfiltered thoughts out on the table as he critiques one of the most popular works of his time, Richard Wright's Native Son, saying “ The feeling which prevailed at the time of its publication was that such a novel, bitter, uncompromising, shocking, gave proof, by its very existence, of what strides might be taken in a free democracy; and its indisputable success, proof that …show more content…
Simply put by Zinsser, “Keep your paragraphs short. Writing is visual- it catches the eye before it has a chance to catch the brain. Short paragraphs put air around what you write and make it look inviting, whereas a long chunk of type can discourage a reader from even starting to read.” (Zinsser 79) Appropriate paragraphing is that which has purpose and meaning, it allows the reader to follow a story without getting lost along the way. Baldwin follows just that when telling the story of the the time a diner refused to serve him because he black. He does so in short paragraphs telling the story chronologically. One reads, “So I pretended not to have understood her, hoping to draw her closer. And she did not step a very short step closer, with her pencil poised incongruously over her pad, and repeated the formula: ‘... don't serve Negroes here.’” (Baldwin 98) In the following paragraphs, Baldwin throws a glass of water at the waitress, has a moment of realization on his way home when he understands that the hatred inside of him was a direct result of racism causing him to be self-destructive. Baldwin's use of concise paragraphs whilst telling the story keeps the reader's attention and focus on what is being told resulting in a successful story being