Style of Hemingway

[irina]

From almost the beginning of his writing career, Hemingway employed a distinctive style which drew the attention of many critics. Hemingway does not give way to lengthy geographical and psychological description. His style has been said to lack substance because he avoids direct statements and descriptions of emotion. Basically his style is simple, direct and somewhat plain. He developed a forceful prose style characterized by simple sentences and few adverbs or adjectives. He wrote concise, vivid dialogue and exact description of places and things. Critic Harry Levin pointed out the weakness of syntax and diction in Hemingway’s writing, but was quick to praise his ability to convey action.
 Ernest Hemingway took the newspaper prose style he learned at the Kansas City Star and turned it into a high art. He wrote some of the best American novels of the 1900s like "The Old Man and the Sea,"For Whom the Bell Tolls," "A Farewell to Arms," The Sun also Rises" etc. 

[irina]

Here are some of the rules that Hemingway seems to follow in his writing:
1.   The point of writing is to be clear and easy to understand, not to show people how much education you have.
2.   Prefer short, everyday words. Faulkner said you did not need a dictionary to read Hemingway – as if it was a bad thing!
3.   Prefer strong nouns and verbs, avoid adjectives and adverbs. “Is” does  not count as a strong verb.
4.   Prefer short, simple sentences of the subject-verb-object kind. Short means ten words or less. Use long sentences to speed up the action, show flowing movement or to give a short sentence that follows a stronger effect.
5.   Avoid commas and more advanced punctuation. It is a sign your sentences are becoming too long and twisted.
6.   Use “and” to make the sentences simpler: not “When it rained, he went inside,” but just: “It rained and he went inside.”
7.   Stick to the facts. Keep your opinions to yourself.
8.   Prefer dialogue, avoid long descriptions. A few well-chosen facts are enough for a description
9.   Iceberg Theory: An ice-berg serves as an useful metaphor to understand the unconscious mind, its relationship to the conscious mind and how the two parts of our mind can  better work  together.As an ice-berg floats in the water, the huge mass of it remains below the surface.
10.   Know your subject inside out: Hemingway not only went to see bull fights but he read all he could about them too.

[irina]

 The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one-eighth of it being above    water.
 A writer who omits things because he does not know them only makes hollow places in his writing. A writer who appreciates the seriousness of writing so little that he is anxious to make people see he is formally educated, cultured, or well-bred, is merely a popinjay.
Whether you're writing essays and reports or the great American novel, Hemingway's advice is worth keeping in mind. Effective revision often means cutting material from a draft, not adding to it.
And what should be cut? Empty introductions, for a start, and needless repetition, followed by anything that's obvious or irrelevant--information that readers already know or don't need to know.
Then you might reconsider your purpose for writing. Are you consistently informing or  entertaining your readers, or at some point have you lost track of your original aim and started showing off or talking to yourself?
Finally, read your work out loud. If you hear yourself chattering like a parrot, cut off that annoying popinjay. Focus on key points and your readers will appreciate the effort.

[irina]

Secrets To follow to be Like Hemingway
1 Start with the simplest things
2 Boil it down
3 Know what to leave out
4 Write the tip of the ice-berg, leave the rest under the water
5 Watch what happens today
6 Write what you see
7 Listen completely
8 Write when there is something you know
9 Look at words as if seeing them for the first time
10 Use the most conventional punctuation you can

[irina]

11. Ditch the dictionary
12. Distrust adjectives
13. Learn to write a simple declarative sentence
14. Tell a story in six words
15. Write poetry into prose
16. Read everything so you know what you need to beat
17. Don't try to beat Shakespeare
18. Go fishing in summer
19. Finish what you start
20. Forget posterity. Think only of writing truly
21. Just write the truest sentence that you know

[shamsi]

Dear Madam,

Thanks for informing us about Hemingway's style of writing.It will definitely help all the students and teachers who are interested in creative writing.

Regards

Shamsi

[irina]

Thank you , Shamsi.
Be happy.