The following points of advice were written by C.S. Lewis in 1959. The comments on each point are mine.
1. Turn off the Radio.
In 1959, the radio was considered a source of distracting noise by Lewis, and we can only imagine what he would think of the television, internet, social media and smartphones today. The point here is that to write well, we need to guard our minds from the distractions of the world’s noise and focus them on our goal. This would extend to other noise as well. We need silence.
2. Read all the good books you can, and avoid nearly all magazines.
By “good books” C.S. Lewis means books that model the kind of writing he is about to recommend to us. We should be reading books written by excellent writers, in which complex thoughts are carefully prepared, clearly presented and convincingly proven. Lewis says that we should avoid “magazines” which contain brief, entertaining articles, advertisements and other eye candy. We need to read thoughtful books, not flip pages in magazines. What is true of magazines is more true of modern social media. We must read that we may write.
3. Always write (and read) with the ear, not the eye. You should hear every sentence you write as if it was being read aloud or spoken. If it does not sound nice, try again.
The key here is to understand that what we write is not for us, but for others. When we read, we usually mouth the words or read them aloud, therefore, we should write expecting our readers to do the same. We should correct our writing not merely so that the rules of grammar are observed, but also that the rules of euphony (good sound) are satisfied. We should make what we write pleasant to read.
4. Write about what really interests you, whether it is real things or imaginary things, and nothing else.
As we learn in the CLAA’s English Composition course, one of the great faults of modern writing courses is that students are required to write about topics that do not interest them. We should understand that our writing belongs to our own unique interests and vocation, our own audience. Our interest in a subject produces the energy and emotion that makes for good writing. If we ourselves are not interested in a subject, why would we expect our readers to be?
5. Take great pains to be clear. Remember that though you start by knowing what you mean, the reader doesn’t, and a single ill-chosen word may lead him to a total misunderstanding. In a story it is terribly easy just to forget that you have not told the reader something that he wants to know—the whole picture is so clear in your own mind that you forget that it isn’t the same in his.
The Golden Rule teaches us to “Do unto others what you would have done unto you.” As readers, we do not want writers to leave information out that is necessary to understant and enjoy what is written. Shakespeare urged his audience to “work their thoughts”, but we shouldn’t need to do so. This point relates to the advice above which urges us to read our writing aloud; we have to think of the reader and make sure he has everything he needs to fully receive the mental images, emotions, arguments, details, etc., that we wish to share.
6. When you give up a bit of work don’t (unless it is hopelessly bad) throw it away. Put it in a drawer. It may come in useful later. Much of my best work, or what I think my best, is the rewriting of things begun and abandoned years earlier.
7. Don’t use a typewriter. The noise will destroy your sense of rhythm, which still needs years of training.
8. Be sure you know the meaning (or meanings) of every word you use.
