When I was in 6th grade, I read an abridged version of Mahatma Gandhi’s “My Experiments with Truth” for a competition organized by our school.
And despite my severely limited vocabulary back then, the book’s simple language totally absorbed me. There were no big words, no superfluous words, no jargon.
Just like the man, his writing was simple. And that simplicity was its power.
If you want to write better, one lesson from the Mahatma’s books is this — keep it simple.
But what does simplicity really mean? Will it reduce my writing to something like, “He came. He ate. They talked.”?
No — simplicity is using the right word — a word that says what needs to be said rather than what makes you look grandiose. And sometimes, that may mean using a big word — but it should not be gratuitous. (And I just used a big word 😊)
Einstein is supposed to have said — “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.”
And I think that is a good guide to writing.
So yes, you do need a good vocabulary. You need to know the fine differences between “angry, annoyed, enraged, indignant, and irate”. And yes, you can be poetic and write with flair.
But most importantly, be a minimalist.
When a .22 caliber bullet will do the job, don’t use heavy artillery — that is the essence of simple writing.
– Rajan