Stein On Writing: A Master Editor of Some of the Most Successful Writers of Our Century Shares His Craft Techniques and Strategies

by Sol Stein

the single characteristic that most makes a difference in the success of an article or nonfiction book is the author’s courage in revealing normally unspoken things about himself or his society. It takes guts to be a writer. A writer’s job is to tell the truth in an interesting way. The truth is that adultery, theft, hypocrisy, envy, and boredom are all sins practiced everywhere that human nature thrives. What people who are not writers say to each other in everyday conversation is the speakable. What makes writing at its best interesting is the writer’s willingness to broach the unspeakable, to say things that people don’t ordinarily say. In fact, the best writers, those whose originality shines, tend to be those who are most outspoken.