How to Write Like Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway's iconic style rests on simple declarative sentences stripped of unnecessary words and complex clauses. Writers seeking to emulate his approach should focus on concrete imagery rather than abstract description, while ruthlessly eliminating superfluous language. His "iceberg theory" emphasizes strategic omission, letting readers interpret deeper meanings beneath surface details. Strong dialogue reveals character through subtext rather than exposition. The secrets to his enduring technique lie in mastering these fundamental principles.

Master the Art of Simple Declarative Sentences

Simplicity stands in the role of the cornerstone of Hemingway's distinctive prose style. His mastery of basic declarative sentences demonstrates how straightforward language can convey profound meaning through deliberate sentence structure and unwavering clarity focus.

Hemingway's approach systematically eliminates complex subordinate clauses in favor of direct subject-verb-object constructions that mirror natural thought patterns. He's proven that writers don't need elaborate syntax to create impact. Instead, his methodology relies on precise word choice and rhythmic pacing to build momentum.

The declarative sentence technique requires writers to distill their message to its essential elements. This process of reduction forces authors to identify their core meaning and present it without ornamental language. It's an exercise in linguistic discipline that produces prose that's both accessible and powerful.

Show Don't Tell: Writing With Concrete Details

While Hemingway's declarative sentences formed his writing's foundation, his concrete details brought those sentences to life. He mastered the art of showing rather than telling by carefully selecting specific, observable details that created vivid imagery in readers' minds.

Instead of stating that a character felt sad, he'd describe their slumped shoulders or trembling hands. Rather than telling readers about a beautiful sunset, he'd paint the scene with sensory details: the orange glow reflecting off water, the gradual dimming of light, or the cooling air against skin.

His approach transformed abstract emotions and concepts into tangible experiences. By focusing on physical details that readers could see, hear, smell, taste, and touch, Hemingway created an immersive experience that allowed readers to draw their own conclusions and feel deeply connected to his stories.

Cut the Fat: Eliminating Unnecessary Words

Hemingway ruthlessly eliminated excess words from his prose, treating each one like precious real estate on the page. His dedication to word economy transformed literature, establishing a standard for concise expression that writers still emulate today.

To achieve Hemingway's lean writing style, follow these essential principles:

• Remove redundant modifiers and unnecessary adjectives that don't add meaningful content to the sentence
• Replace complex verb constructions with simple, direct alternatives (use "knew" instead of "was aware of")
• Eliminate filler phrases like "in order to," "the fact that," and "due to the fact that"
• Delete prepositional phrases when a single word can convey the same meaning

This disciplined approach to editing creates prose that's direct and powerful, allowing readers to focus on the story's essence without wading through superfluous language.

Develop Strong Dialogue That Reveals Character

Anyone studying Hemingway's dialogue can recognize how his characters' speech patterns reveal their deepest truths without explicit exposition. His masterful technique involves layering subtext beneath seemingly mundane conversations, allowing character motivation to emerge organically through verbal exchanges.

Hemingway creates dialogue tension by having characters speak around their true feelings rather than directly stating them. This approach mirrors real-life communication, where people often mask their intentions behind casual words. His characters reveal themselves through what they choose not to say in addition to what they do say.

The method requires writers to understand their characters thoroughly, ensuring every line of dialogue serves multiple purposes: advancing the plot, revealing personality traits, and intensifying underlying emotional currents. Through carefully chosen words, characters expose their vulnerabilities, desires, and conflicts.

Apply the Iceberg Theory in Your Writing

The essence of Hemingway's Iceberg Theory lies in his deliberate omission of details, where writers reveal only the surface elements while leaving deeper meanings submerged beneath the narrative. This principle creates subtext layers that engage readers in active interpretation, forcing them to investigate the emotional depth hidden within seemingly straightforward prose.

To effectively implement the Iceberg Theory:

• Allow contextual clues and subtle implications to replace explicit explanations
• Construct scenes that hint at broader historical or psychological significance
• Trust readers to deduce character motivations through minimal exposition
• Focus on concrete, observable details rather than internal monologues

Writers who master this technique create narratives that resonate long after reading, while audiences continue uncovering new meanings beneath the surface story. The approach demands precision in word choice and careful consideration of what information to withhold.

Conclusion

Much like Hemingway's old man battling the sea, writers who seek to master his style must wage their own literary battles. They'll strip away flowery prose, adopt stark truths, and distill complex emotions into crystalline moments. Through deliberate practice of these techniques – declarative sentences, showing rather than telling, sparse language, revealing dialogue, and concealed depths – the essence of Hemingway's craft emerges, powerful and pure.