How to connect with and convince your readers with “one true sentence” – Hemingway style

Want to improve your writing?

Want your writing to be more convincing and memorable?

We can all learn from Hemingway’s One True Sentence style.

True – has many meanings – accurate, correct, genuine.

What can really connect your readers and get them to engage with your writing is true description.

I’m on a family beach vacation – and in  a Hemingway vibe.

It’s been a joy to be surrounded by boats and seafood and to have time to re-read some of his true sentences and accurate descriptions.

What makes a sentence “true” for me  s the accuracy of a description.

For example I love how Hemingway described eating oysters.

…I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste…

 

For me, what makes the sentence so true is:

 

Oysters DO taste like the sea.

They DO taste slightly metallic.

The metallic taste IS faint compared to the strong taste of the sea

 

It’s as if, when he ate oysters – he let the flavours wash over this taste buds and he tried to find the right words to describe the flavour.

 

When YOU next enjoy a meal – try to find the right, precise words to describe the taste and texture.

The precision of faint metallic makes this sentence ring true for me.

 

 

Another favourite true sentence is:

It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and can coast down them. …

For anyone who rides bicycles – the sentence “feels” true.

Here’s a link to another post in this Hemingway-inpired series.

How Hemingway’s One True Sentence style can help you improve your writing for social media

Also, here are other tips to help you improve your writing.

If you’d like to improve your writing: Here are some quick tips.

1.Release The Verb

2.How nouns can save your butt!

3.Use visual language

4.Parallel Structure

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I blog about fun pop culture stuff as well as more serious  business communication tips.

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