There’s something rather marvellous about the way Albert Einstein wrote. Whilst most brilliant minds tend to obscure their thoughts behind impenetrable walls of jargon, Einstein had this remarkable ability to explain the most complex ideas with the simplicity of someone describing how to make a cup of tea.
The Art of the Thought Experiment
Now, here’s something absolutely fascinating. Einstein didn’t just write about physics; he created mental cinema. His thought experiments—riding alongside light beams or imagining lifts in free fall—weren’t merely explanatory tools. They were bloody brilliant pieces of storytelling that happened to revolutionise physics.
Why This Matters for Writers
The clever bit, you see, is that Einstein understood something that most writers miss entirely: if you can’t visualise it, you can’t explain it. And if you can’t explain it, you probably don’t understand it yourself.
The Einstein Method: A Rather Splendid Approach
1. Start with the Familiar
Einstein had this rather wonderful habit of beginning with something everyone could understand. Trains, clocks, lifts—everyday objects that suddenly became portals to profound insights. It’s the intellectual equivalent of starting a journey from your local pub rather than attempting to parachute directly onto Mount Everest.
2. Embrace Elegant Simplicity
Here’s the counterintuitive bit: the more complex your idea, the simpler your language should be. Einstein didn’t write, “The spatiotemporal coordinates exhibit relativistic effects under certain conditions.” He wrote, “Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That’s relativity.”
3. Question Everything (Rather Relentlessly)
Einstein had this marvellous habit of asking seemingly naive questions that turned out to be absolutely profound. “What would I see if I rode on a beam of light?” It sounds like something a clever child might ask, which is precisely what makes it brilliant.
The Rather Important Bits Most People Miss
The Power of Metaphor
Einstein wasn’t just explaining physics; he was translating it. He turned mathematical concepts into visual experiences. It’s rather like explaining cricket to an American by comparing it to baseball—except he was explaining the fabric of spacetime to everyone.
The Art of the Pause
Notice how Einstein’s writings often include these wonderful moments of contemplation. He’d present an idea, then give you space to digest it. Rather like a good comedian’s timing, but for physics.
How to Actually Do This
- Begin with Something Obvious Write down your complex idea. Then imagine explaining it to your grandmother over tea. If she’d furrow her brow, you need to simplify it further.
- Create Your Own Thought Experiments Don’t just state facts; create scenarios. “Imagine if…” is often the start of something rather wonderful.
- Embrace Simplicity (But Not Simplification) There’s a difference between making something simple and making it simplistic. Einstein never dumbed down his ideas; he illuminated them.
- Use Everyday Objects Your profound insights should be anchored to things people can touch, see, and understand. Trains, clocks, and tennis balls are your friends.
The Rather Brilliant Conclusion
The truly clever bit about Einstein’s writing style wasn’t that he made complex things simple—it’s that he made simple things profound. He showed us that the universe’s greatest mysteries could be understood through the lens of everyday experience.
And perhaps that’s the most important lesson for writers: brilliance doesn’t need to wear a bow tie and speak in Latin. Sometimes, the most powerful ideas can be expressed while sitting in a railway carriage, watching the world go by, and wondering, “What if?”
So next time you’re writing something complex, remember: if Einstein could explain relativity using trains and clocks, you can probably explain your ideas without resorting to impenetrable jargon. And wouldn’t that be rather wonderful?
