Fiction Writing and The Hemingway Effect

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Fiction Writing and The Hemingway Effect

Posted on May 7th, 2010 in Writing by Guy Hogan

What is the Hemingway effect? Have you been affected by it?

Ernest Hemingway was a man’s man who loved the women. He loved a lot of other things, too. He loved bullfighting. He loved fishing. He loved hunting. He loved drinking. He loved danger. But I would say that most of all he loved writing. All of the other things he loved came and went but the writing stayed until the very end. His biographers claim that it was because he couldn’t write any longer that he killed himself. I believe it.

In every literary circle that I know of, Ernest Hemingway is considered a great writer. Why?

I’m a bit of a minor Ernest Hemingway expert, if reading over and over all of his fiction, all of his news paper work, every biography about him and every review and critique of his work that I could get my hands on gives me any kind of credibility.

Plus, I spent years trying to use the Hemingway technique in my own fiction with different degrees of success.

Hemingway changed the written language. Before him, writers tried to out do each other with metaphors and convoluted language. After him, writers used particular concrete language.

20 Responses to “Fiction Writing and The Hemingway Effect”

Atanacio
May 7th, 2010 at 12:36 pm

I could spend alot of time reading your posts and now u blog about one of my fav authors
lillyrose
May 7th, 2010 at 1:02 pm

Interesting post Guy. Why couldn’t he write any more? am I just being thick?
Guy Hogan
May 7th, 2010 at 2:02 pm

Hi, lillyrose: Hemingway had all kinds of physical ailments but the main reasons why he couldn’t write anymore were pyschological. Or to put it in poetic terms, his muse simply left him.
Lenjur
May 7th, 2010 at 2:10 pm

Great post
Sourav
May 7th, 2010 at 2:57 pm

An interesting article.
Jenny Heart
May 7th, 2010 at 2:58 pm

Interesting indeed!
Ruby Hawk
May 7th, 2010 at 5:52 pm

I like Hemingway. His simple sentences pack more wallop than the most long winded writers.
Lady Sunshine
May 7th, 2010 at 6:58 pm

Hemingway was quite the character as well as a writer. You’re great at writing concise articles, Guy.
pattiann
May 7th, 2010 at 7:15 pm

Very interesting article. Very well written!
mitchey179
May 7th, 2010 at 7:24 pm

Nice article. Very well written.
Scarlet
May 7th, 2010 at 7:47 pm

Hemingway changed the way writers think and create characters. He inspired the ‘New Journalism’ and alot of his writing was based upon his own experiences. One of the characters in his many books would always be a reflection of himself and a real experience he encountered or provoked. He tightened sentence structures and became just about everyone’s literary hero and was definitely a man’s man. Check out Fiesta. Great article Guy!
Tulan
May 7th, 2010 at 8:55 pm

Old Man and the Sea is my favorite.
Monica Sappleton
May 7th, 2010 at 10:14 pm

An excellent review of Hemingway’s contribution to the art of writing. Good job.
Monica.
Uma Shankari
May 8th, 2010 at 1:21 am

Great reading about a great writer of all times.
Christine Ramsay
May 8th, 2010 at 2:07 am

You have inspired me to read some of Hemingway’s work. Thank you.

Christine
JIMMY SHILAHO
May 8th, 2010 at 2:30 am

Great, I believe Hemingway was the greatest American writer of all time.
Lord Banks
May 8th, 2010 at 8:11 am

I must admit Guy I know very little about Hemingway but I shall try to put that right after your praises for the man. LB
giftarist
May 8th, 2010 at 4:53 pm

Thoughts after thoughts after thoughts.
PR Mace
May 10th, 2010 at 11:05 am

Hemingway was a great but troubled man. Did you know his family has a writing contest every year. I submit each year and maybe one year I will win. First prize is $1000.
Jeff Bridges
May 13th, 2010 at 11:32 am

great!