Book Review: On Writing Well by William Zinsser

I’ve seen a lot of people recommend William Zinsser’s book On Writing Well to newer writers — particularly copywriters. But the book's first edition is actually 40-something years old, and the way we consume information has changed drastically since then.

So I decided to read through the book zeroing in on the parts most relevant to online content, to consider whether the book is still worthy of its status as a quintessential writing guide. 

My conclusion? On Writing Well covers basic ingredients for good writing. But too much of its content is oversimplified or outdated. I think aspiring content writers may get more value out of reading newer and more relevant books on writing (like Ann Handley’s Everybody Writes). 

That said, there are some truly useful tips scattered throughout the book's chapters. Good thing I picked them out so you don’t have to.

Here are four foundational strategies from Zinsser’s On Writing Well to help you create clear and effective digital content.

1. Write simply and directly

“The secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components”

Simplicity is key to creating good digital content. With a surplus of information now at everyone’s fingertips, the fight for attention is fiercer than ever. 

People have busy lives and can’t afford to spend time and energy deciphering complicated or messy content. And they don’t have to — they’ll click ‘back’ and find another source.

Good ideas don’t need fancy words to make them look good anyway. They compel readers naturally. Good marketing begins with a good product. So when you write about it, truth and substance shines through to genuinely inspire and convert customers.

Simplicity also improves accessibility, making content easier for all types of readers to consume.

2. Write with humanity and warmth

“Good writing has an aliveness that keeps the reader reading from one paragraph to the next”

Many parts of the digital world have become sterile, profit-driven, algorithmic (check out Netflix’s The Social Dilemma).

Good writing infuses life, humanity, and connection back into online conversations. And good writers know how to do that. But it’s a lot easier if you’re writing on something you care about. 

That’s why I write for companies and products that are making a positive impact on our world and the people in it. If you believe in what you’re writing about, your readers probably will too.

3. Write good leads — and headers and titles

“Readers want to know—very soon—what’s in it for them”

The lead is vital in the digital realm. Content is now being produced at near-frantic rates, and readers have stronger filters.

If the lead doesn’t immediately draw readers in and keep their attention, they’ll find something else that does.

Not mentioned in the Zinsser’s book, but even more important than the lead, is the title and headers. Readers depend on these structural units to make snap judgements about a page’s content and usefulness. 

Research shows that users mostly scan web pages, meaning you need to create content that’s easily scannable and that shows its value in the title and headers.

4. Know your audience…but first know yourself

“Editors and readers don’t know what they want to read until they read it”

This may sound unconventional, and maybe controversial. But most writers have already had it drilled into them to “know their audience” — which is obviously important. A piece of content’s entire vision, style, goal, etc. is driven by its audience. And the writer is responsible for writing in a way that attracts and engages those people.

But beyond knowing your audience, having a sense of individuality adds a spark to writing that’s absent in uninspired, clichéd, filler content. And that spark is crucial to connecting with people and moving them to action.

Most copywriters have already heard not to write things they wouldn’t say in conversation. But also. . . don’t resort to just writing things everyone else says in conversation. 

Engage and connect with readers by infusing content with your own creativity, inspiration, and innovation. That’s what sets truly successful writing apart from the morass of cheap content out there.

To sum it up

These four tips were my biggest takeaways from Zinsser’s On Writing Well, when it comes to connecting with online audiences. I hope you found them useful as well. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this classic writing book, and how the internet is changing the way we write (and read) content.