Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Extraordinary Writer

In previous January posts, I have written about Dr. King’s paragraph structure (2012) and his tactical use of the passive voice in a business letter (2013).  This January, I am copying two brief radio messages that Dr. King composed and recorded during October 1964. 

After each message, I have listed its verbs: action words with both subject and tense. Notice that all verbs (except, of course, the “be” verbs)— are in the active voice.  Notice how the sentences are relatively short, because listeners cannot “look back” to see context.  And notice that the proportion of verbs to total words is high: from one verb per 7.22 words to one verb per 8.55 words.  Verbs help a great writer achieve crystal clarity.

Notice that Dr. King felt free to begin a sentence with “and.”  He told no one how to vote, nor did he aim his call for voter registration to one group or another.  And as a humble man, he did not even use his titles—“Reverend Doctor”—although he could have done so.

One-minute radio message:

I am Martin Luther King, Jr. I want to remind all who are listening that a democratic society cannot meet its full potential of achievement unless all of its citizens exercise their right to register and to vote.  It is a part of the history of democracies that men have fought and bled and died to win the right to vote.  In many quarters of the globe this fight still goes on.  Those of us who can register and vote freely must by all means do so.  I urge all of you, my fellow Americans, to make America a showplace of true democracy.  Register, so you will be able to vote.  Study the issues.  And then cast your ballot on election day for the candidates and party of your choice.

130 words and 18 verbs    One verb per 7.22 words.

Am

Want

Are listening

Cannot meet

Exercise

Is

Have fought and bled and died

Goes

Can register and vote

Must do

Urge

Register

Will be

Study

Cast

30-second radio message:

I am Martin Luther King.  The age-old fight of mankind to govern itself through free elections still goes on in many sections of the world.  Yet many American citizens who need do nothing more than register and walk to the polling place fail to cast their votes.  I ask you to be a good citizen.  Remember, you cannot vote unless you register.  So register and then cast your vote for the candidates and party of your choice.

77 words, 9 verbs.  One verb per 8.55 words.

Am

Goes

Need do  ["register" and "walk" are truncated from infinitives "to register" and "to walk."]

Fail

Ask

Cannot vote

Register

Register 

Cast

Dr. King: The Power of Short Sentences

Dr. King told stories.  Stories are still the most powerful way to keep hearers (and readers) motivated.  We can study story techniques when a speech is reduced to print.
Written down, a good story breaks into paragraphs.  And many of Dr. King's paragraphs began with short sentences.  Click on that link, and look at a 45-paragraph speech in which 25 paragraph-starting sentences are 15 words or less!

Eighteen are extremely short:

1. You remember it started in America in 1619.
2. And that seems to be the long story of history.
3. There is something in the soul that cries out for freedom.
4. And so these people got tired.
5. "I want to go back home."
6. So that day finally came.
7. Wednesday morning the official opening of Parliament was held.
8. There is a great day ahead.
9. So don’t go out this morning with any illusions.
10. It says to us another thing.
11. The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community.
12. There’s another thing that Ghana reminds us.
13. And that’s the way it goes.
14. The road to freedom is a difficult, hard road.
15. Then I remember, we went on over to Westminster Abbey.
16. I thought of many things.
17. But something else came to my mind.
18. Moses might not get to see Canaan but his children will see it.

From the short opening sentence, King unfolds a bit of each of his interwoven stories. Then he often ends the paragraph with another relatively short sentence.

Easy to listen to.  Easy to read.  Powerful. 

My dissertation adviser, who had to read my writing, once parodied my style; he composed and sent me a 68-word sentence with semicolons, colons, commas and a dash.  So I need this lesson from Dr. King more than perhaps anyone else.  This year I pledge to try and shorten at least my topic sentences!