Podcast Summary: "Ward Farnsworth: 14 Ways To Make Your Writing Memorable"

Podcast: How I Write
Host: David Perell
Guest: Ward Farnsworth
Release Date: December 10, 2025
Episode Focus: The deep mechanics and timeless techniques that make writing memorable, featuring a conversational masterclass between David Perell and legal scholar/author Ward Farnsworth.

Overview

This episode explores the craftsmanship behind memorable writing. Ward Farnsworth, author of Classical English Rhetoric and Classical English Style, joins David Perell to dissect the mechanics behind history’s most memorable prose. From the King James Bible to Lincoln and Churchill, the conversation spotlights practical rhetorical tools—especially word choice, repetition, and structural patterns—that transform ordinary prose into legendary statements. The focus is not just on what great writers say, but how they say it, and how anyone can learn from their techniques.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Problem of Being Memorable in a Sea of Words

• Farnsworth’s Central Challenge:
  "You're trying to say something in public right now, and you want to get noticed, and you want to get remembered... It's so hard because there's a million other people all trying to do it at the same time." (00:18)
• Writing in the age of information overload means audiences are bombarded—making memorability more precious and difficult.

2. Dual Nature of English: “Everyone Is Bilingual”

• The Bilingual Metaphor:
  "Everyone who speaks English is basically bilingual... for everything in English, there's usually a simple, humble word and a fancy one." (01:16, 01:39)
• Origins:
  Simple (Saxon/Germanic) vs. Fancy (Latinate/French) words.
  • Create vs. Make, Acquire vs. Get, Permit vs. Let (01:21–01:56).
• Practical Advice:
  Prefer Saxon/simple words for impact. Fancy/Latinate words signal class or formality but lack punch and immediacy.

3. The Power of Saxon Simplicity

• Farnsworth illustrates with examples:
  • Genesis 1:3:
    "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." (05:16)
    Pure Saxon, all one-syllable words—strength and humility.
  • Churchill’s WWII Speeches:
    "We shall fight on the beaches... We shall never surrender." (07:36)
    32 Saxon words, none Latinate—deliberate simplicity for maximal force.
  • Farnsworth’s Rule:
    "If you have to have one rule, prefer Saxon words to Romance words—or Latinate words." (02:07)
• Writer’s Test:
  You know you truly understand something if you can express it in Saxon words (06:45).

4. Repetition Techniques: Anaphora & Epistrophe

• Anaphora: Repeating the start of clauses.
  • "We shall fight" example—creates rhythm and emphasis (08:35).
  • Effect: Like a sports announcer raising tension before the goal (09:04).
• Epistrophe: Repetition at the end.
  • Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address:
    "...government of the people, by the people, for the people..." (30:22–31:28).
  • "The ending... is more important, because it can ring in the ear." (28:47)
• Contrast and Placement:
  Repetition is powerful at either the start (anaphora) or the end (epistrophe), but should be used to create contrast and drive “musical” changes in prose (36:01).

5. Contrast: The Secret Sauce

• Great writers don't choose only Saxon or only Latinate—they mix for contrast:
  • Start formal, end with forceful simplicity for punch (18:30).
  • Lincoln: Latinate for the mind, Saxon for the gut (22:10).
• Farnsworth likens it to music:
  "What's interesting is the chord change in music. And it's like that in English." (22:10)

6. Chiasmus: Structuring Reversal for Effect

• Definition & Example:
  • "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country." (38:49)
  • Structure: ABBA. Used to show reversed relationships or “you’ve got this backwards” moments.
• Types of Chiasmus:
  Literal (exact words reversed) vs. conceptual (ideas reversed, structure mirrors).

7. Memorable Applications & Cautions

• Rhetorical devices are not just for speeches—suitable for everyday writing, but should be used sparingly to avoid sounding overwrought.
  • Advice:
    "These patterns... call a lot of attention... so if you use them a lot, it can sound like you're trying too hard to sound impressive." (53:08)
• Imitation vs. Influence:
  Don’t directly copy—immerse yourself in great examples (Lincoln read Shakespeare and the Bible obsessively), and let them influence your instincts.
• Warning:
  Powerful rhetoric can make falsehoods seem wise:
  "Beware—things that are beautifully said sound more true. No reason to believe they are." (51:12)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Time is kind of a tournament. And things that still sound great a long time after they were said... that's something that was well said, that's something that was notably eloquent." — Ward Farnsworth (00:30)
• "Prefer Saxon words to Romance words or Latinate words... Even if you don't know anything about Latin or French, you can figure out which words are which without too much trouble." (02:07)
• "The more profound the substance, the more simple the words." (09:44)
• "If you use the bigger [Latinate] words to set up that finale... ending with the simple words... really leaves an impression." (18:20)
• "Contrast is powerful. Anything that's great tends to be greater when it's set off against what it isn't." (22:10)
• "If they notice the technique, it's bad technique. What they might do, though, is be struck: 'That's well said.'" (46:50)
• "Things that are beautifully said sound more true. No reason to believe they are… The study of rhetoric ... is to inoculate yourself against the charms of people who put things beautifully." (51:12)

Important Timestamps

• 00:18 — The challenge of being memorable; the problem of “too many words”
• 01:11–06:45 — English as two languages, with examples and practical implications for writers
• 07:36 — Churchill's "We shall fight" (anaphora in practice)
• 12:04 — Churchill's "Never in the field of human conflict..." and use of contrast and passive voice
• 15:45 — King James Bible example: “Every kingdom divided...”; how Latinate/Saxon words are contrasted in endings
• 18:34–22:10 — Lincoln quoted; the technique of doubling and restating for emotional resonance
• 23:17 — Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.: "Freedom for the thought that we hate." (Perfect Saxon punch)
• 28:05 — Lincoln, Gettysburg Address: "The world will little note... but it can never forget what they did here." (epistrophe)
• 30:22–31:28 — Lincoln’s “of the people, by the people, for the people” (rule of three, epistrophe, biblical echo)
• 34:01–36:01 — Churchill's wartime speech: combining anaphora and epistrophe for dramatic effect
• 37:05 — Lloyd Bentsen's "Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy" (modern epistrophe/rap battle)
• 38:49–45:50 — Chiasmus: JFK, Lincoln, and other creative reversals explained and dissected
• 47:53 — The Lord's Prayer as a non-literal, but effective, chiasmus
• 48:16–50:54 — Farnsworth’s summary and Mark Twain’s chiasmus: “First the capacity... then the chance...”
• 51:12 — The caution on wisdom and beauty in rhetoric
• 53:08–56:12 — Advice for using rhetorical devices in daily writing; imitation vs. influence
• 56:42–59:10 — Teaching writing: move beyond conciseness to memorability, use imitation as a tool
• 59:19 — Imitation vs. influence, and the dangers of absorbing poor rhetoric from modern environments

Structural Recap: 3 Big Techniques Covered

1. Saxon vs. Latinate Word Choice

• Prefer Saxon/simple words for punch.
• Use contrast—let Latinate words set up a run of Saxon to end strong.

2. Repetition for Emphasis

• Anaphora: Repeat beginnings (“We shall fight…”)
• Epistrophe: Repeat endings (“…for the people”)
• Use “the rule of three”—three repeats is especially effective.

3. Chiasmus (ABBA Structure)

• Use for statements where relationships are reversed or opposites exposed.
• Literal (same words) or conceptual (parallel ideas).

Farnsworth’s Practical Takeaways

• Memorable writing comes from deliberate choices of word, rhythm, and structure.
• Learn from history’s best, but focus on internalizing—not mimicking—their rhythms.
• Contrast (of word origins, repetitions, and structure) is the foundation of memorable prose.
• Powerful rhetoric can serve both good and bad arguments; be aware of both sword and shield.
• In your own writing, use these techniques subtly for best effect.

Final Thoughts

This episode is a rare inside look at not only how to write clearly, but how to write words that people will feel and remember. Farnsworth’s advice is both practical and philosophical: write with care for the sound, rhythm, and origins of your words; blend simplicity with force; and don’t simply imitate—let great prose gradually season your own “voice.” Whether you’re writing speeches, emails, or just want your ideas to live longer in readers’ minds, this is an episode—and a set of tools—worth returning to.

For further exploration, Farnsworth recommends his books "Classical English Rhetoric" and "Classical English Style", both designed as browsable references for anyone serious about mastering the craft of memorable writing.