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by whoopdedo 1933 days ago
When it comes to newspapers isn't this the goal, though? Hemingway's writing is journalistic writing. "The [Kansas City] Star’s style guide formed the basis for his own style that ran against the elaborate tendencies of 19th century writers."[1] So if you're judging the style of a journalist's writing a preferable guide is how similar to Hemingway it is.

[1] https://mediahq.com/famous-authors-also-journalists/

2 comments

> elaborate tendencies of 19th century writers.

reminded - on some estate sale here in US i randomly picked up and opened a small end-of-19th century book of some American writer that i never heard (that just means that it is definitely not a Tier-1 writer as i'm not an American). The first large paragraph consisted of just 2, yet pretty large, multipart sentences with several great ideas and observations masterfully woven together. I was awestruck. In Russia we call it "Tolstoy" (War and Peace) style and that beat even the Tolstoy. I immediately closed the book, quietly put it back. It was a very uncomfortable reminder of what we lost. The times has changed.

I would say, no not really. The goal is to make writing readable to human, not same as Hemingway wrote. Those are two different goals, despite Hemingway being also readable.

Practically, I don't have problem to understand American major newspapers.