Ernest Hemingway’s 7 Tips for Writing
1: Start with one true sentence.
“When starting a new story and struggling to get it going, I would sit by the fire, squeeze orange peels into the flame, and watch the blue sputter. I would remind myself, ‘Don’t worry. You’ve written before, and you’ll write now.’”
Hemingway believed that one simple, true sentence could break through writer’s block.
2: Stop writing for the day while you still know what’s coming next.
“Always stop when you’re going well and know what will happen next. That way, you’ll avoid getting stuck.”
Leaving a little momentum helps you start strong the next day.
3: Don’t think about the story when you’re not working.
“Never empty the well of your writing; stop with something left. Let it refill naturally at night.”
He found that giving his mind space to rest helped him avoid burnout.
4: Begin each writing session by reading what you’ve written so far.
“When it gets too long to read it all, go back a couple of chapters each day. Then each week, read from the beginning.”
This practice helped Hemingway reconnect with his story’s flow and keep continuity.
5: Don’t describe emotions—create them.
“Newspaper writing tells what happened, often creating emotion through timeliness. Real writing, however, conveys the emotion as truthfully as possible.”
Instead of explaining feelings, Hemingway would let readers feel through the action and dialogue.
6: Write with a pencil.
“Writing with a pencil gives you three chances to revise: first when reading over, then when typing, and finally in the proof.”
He found the physical act of writing by hand helpful for getting ideas down and refining them later.
7: Be brief.
“The Gettysburg Address was brief by design. The rules of prose are as unchanging as those of physics.”
Hemingway valued concise, powerful prose that made every word count.
Each of these tips reflects Hemingway’s dedication to clarity, simplicity, and a deep respect for the craft of writing. His advice continues to inspire writers to this day.
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