Introducing: Writing Examples

Hey writers,

If you were missing our weekly email last Wednesday, it’s because we were preparing this…

Introducing: Writing Examples, a collection of snack-sized articles that analyze the best writing in the world. We take niche quotes, famous one-liners, your favorite lyrics, powerful poetry — you name it — and we break down why each example is so great.

This is a new format and new a new approach to our weekly newsletter, but just like before, you'll get the latest issue in your inbox every Wednesday.

Emotion Comes from Tension and Release

“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.”

– John Steinbeck, East of Eden

If we can’t compete with gods, then let us be human. There’s a relief in knowing that, no matter how hard you try, you’ll never be perfect. And that’s something to rejoice in. 

What makes this sentence from Steinbeck so famous? It’s the emotional impact we feel from the tension and release.

The first part of the sentence — “And now that you don’t have to be perfect” — creates tension. It calls on the burdensome expectation that haunts us all: the pressure to be perfect. It makes you wonder what comes after that. It makes you think, “I don't have to be perfect? Tell me what I can be instead.”

Steinbeck elegantly releases this tension after the comma with the simple declaration: “you can be good.” And in just four words, you let go of the impossible to discover what you can achieve. The contrast between "perfect" and "good" changes the stakes from an impossible absolute to something attainable, more human, and even more virtuous.

When we read this, we feel our anxiety dissolve. We feel spoken to and comforted. We feel the pressure lifted from our chest when we realize that the kinder alternative to striving for perfection is, simply, choosing to be good.

How I Write Podcast

Jerry Seinfeld's Rules for Writing

As David would tell you, Jerry Seinfeld has taught him more about writing than all of his English teachers combined. People forget that comedians aren’t just jokesters — they’re writers. And with 10 Emmy Awards, 3 Golden Globes, and a TV show that’s generated over three billion in revenue, it’s safe to say that Jerry Seinfeld is a dang good one. 

In this episode, David shares the top ten writing lessons he's learned from Jerry Seinfeld over the years. You’ll learn five lessons about getting your work done and five lessons about making your work great. Buckle up. After 50 years of writing jokes and refining them on stage, Seinfeld has a wealth of writing advice to share. If you’re ready to become a writer who stands out from the masses, then you’re in the right place. Happy listening.

Also, check out this two-minute video of David breaking down the intro to Seinfeld's op-ed in The New York Times.

Listen Now: YouTube | Spotify | Apple

Thank you for reading the first issue of Writing Examples. This week, use tension and release to add emotion to your words.

Happy writing,

The Write of Passage Team