Ralph Carlson Blog

What is behind Abraham Lincoln’s writing ability?

Abraham Lincoln is known for his powerful writing ability. The Gettysburg Address is held up as an example in school because of its brevity, clarity and emotion. It isn’t easy to write like Lincoln and much as we might like an easy ten-step program to learn his good writing skills, there isn’t one. An article  I was reading recently  described the art of Lincoln’s writing and discussed the techniques that contribute to his skill. The author recalled a letter responding to an article saying that Lincoln’s writing was accomplished by trickery and engineered construction. The letter asserted that engineering is a poor analogy to describe writing skill because it implies mechanical properties while writing is an art. [continue reading…]