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    Categories>Education>How to Write Like the Greats: Classic vs. Modern Writing Techniques

    How to Write Like the Greats: Classic vs. Modern Writing Techniques

    34 min
    |
    |
    Apr 18, 2026
    EducationCreativityPhilosophy

    Learn how to write like Ernest Hemingway, Jane Austen, and Charles Dickens. Discover the timeless techniques that make classic literature superior to modern writing.

    How to Write Like the Greats: Classic vs. Modern Writing Techniques

    Best quote from How to Write Like the Greats: Classic vs. Modern Writing Techniques

    “

    The classics are the survivors that have gone through a ruthless, centuries-long gauntlet of being read, debated, and critiqued; they survived because they refused to shut up.

    ”

    This audio lesson was created by a BeFreed community member

    Input question

    I want to be a truly great writer. Please make me a lesson that shows why the classics are so great compared to modern writing. What makes a great classic such good writing and how do you write like the grades like to story Hemingway I’ll Dick AUSTIN what is the way to write well, is it technique or is it just passion for?

    Host voices
    Jacksonplay
    Lenaplay
    Learning style
    Deep
    Knowledge sources
    The Slow Suicide of Abandoning the Classics
    link
    https://kennicon.substack.com/p/the-slow-suicide-of-abandoning-the
    Why Read the Classics? - The Culturist
    link
    https://www.theculturist.io/p/why-read-the-classics
    Jane Austen and the Creation of Modern Fiction: Book Review | Jane Austen's World
    link
    https://janeaustensworld.com/2024/07/26/jane-austen-and-the-creation-of-modern-fiction-book-review/
    link
    https://files01.core.ac.uk/download/pdf/159844095.pdf
    How to Write Like Charles Dickens | PublishingState.com
    link
    https://publishingstate.com/how-to-write-like-charles-dickens/2024/
    How to Write Like Hemingway (10 Ways to Imitate the Great)
    link
    https://self-publishingschool.com/how-to-write-like-hemingway/

    Frequently Asked Questions

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    "Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

    @Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
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    "Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

    @djmikemoore
    platform
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    "BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

    @Pitiful
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    "BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

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    "Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

    @Cashflowbubu
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    "Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

    @Moemenn
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    "I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

    @Chloe, Solo founder, LA
    platform
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    12
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    117

    "Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

    @Raaaaaachelw
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    "Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

    @Matt, YC alum
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    comments
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    108

    "Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

    @Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
    platform
    comments
    254
    likes
    17

    "Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

    @djmikemoore
    platform
    star
    star
    star
    star
    star

    "BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

    @Pitiful
    platform
    comments
    96
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    "BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

    @SofiaP
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    "BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

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    "It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

    @OojasSalunke
    platform
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    "The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

    @Leo, Law Student, UPenn
    platform
    comments
    37
    likes
    483

    "Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

    @Cashflowbubu
    platform
    star
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    star
    star
    star

    "Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

    @Moemenn
    platform
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    star
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    "I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

    @Chloe, Solo founder, LA
    platform
    comments
    12
    likes
    117

    "Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

    @Raaaaaachelw
    platform
    star
    star
    star
    star
    star

    "Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

    @Matt, YC alum
    platform
    comments
    12
    likes
    108

    "Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

    @Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
    platform
    comments
    254
    likes
    17

    "Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

    @djmikemoore
    platform
    star
    star
    star
    star
    star

    "BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

    @Pitiful
    platform
    comments
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    likes
    4.5K

    "BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

    @SofiaP
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    star
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    "BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

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    "It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

    @OojasSalunke
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    star

    "The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

    @Leo, Law Student, UPenn
    platform
    comments
    37
    likes
    483

    "Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

    @Cashflowbubu
    platform
    star
    star
    star
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    Featured book summaries
    Crucial ConversationsThe Perfect MarriageInto the WildNever Split the DifferenceAttachedGood to GreatSay Nothing
    Trending categories
    Self HelpCommunication SkillRelationshipMindfulnessPhilosophyInspirationProductivity
    Celebrities' reading list
    Elon MuskCharlie KirkBill GatesSteve JobsAndrew HubermanJoe RoganJordan Peterson
    Award winning collection
    Pulitzer PrizeNational Book AwardGoodreads Choice AwardsNobel Prize in LiteratureNew York TimesCaldecott MedalNebula Award
    Featured Topics
    ManagementAmerican HistoryWarTradingStoicismAnxietySex
    Best books by Year
    2025 Best Non Fiction Books2024 Best Non Fiction Books2023 Best Non Fiction Books
    Learning tools
    Knowledge VisualizerAI Podcast Generator
    Featured authors
    Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieGeorge OrwellO. J. SimpsonBarbara O'NeillWinston ChurchillCharlie Kirk
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    © 2026 BeFreed
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    Key Takeaways

    1

    The Mirror of the Centuries: Why We Still Read What Is Old

    0:00
    0:36
    1:18
    1:39
    2:07
    2:17
    2:43
    2:59
    3:22
    2

    The Architecture of Immortality: Universal Themes over Trendy Plots

    3:29
    3:49
    4:17
    4:28
    4:59
    5:18
    5:42
    5:50
    6:21
    6:42
    7:02
    2:17
    3

    The Precision of the Pen: Lessons from Jane Austen’s Social Surgery

    7:33
    7:54
    8:18
    8:22
    8:48
    9:03
    9:29
    9:39
    10:05
    10:27
    10:48
    11:03
    11:29
    4

    The Iceberg and the Pulse: Hemingway’s Masterclass in Omission

    11:46
    12:06
    12:23
    2:17
    12:57
    13:13
    13:35
    13:55
    14:14
    14:35
    14:57
    4:28
    5

    The Danger of the Fast-Food Narrative: Why Modern Formulas Fall Short

    15:38
    16:06
    16:31
    2:17
    17:01
    17:19
    17:43
    17:51
    18:18
    18:30
    18:56
    19:09
    19:40
    2:17
    6

    The Social Mirror: Dickens, Orphans, and the Moral Landscape

    19:58
    20:21
    20:46
    20:50
    21:14
    19:09
    21:47
    22:04
    22:22
    2:17
    23:00
    23:20
    23:40
    23:57
    7

    The Weight of Every Word: Why Mastery Takes Time

    24:19
    24:43
    25:04
    4:28
    25:43
    26:04
    26:22
    26:40
    26:56
    27:09
    27:29
    2:17
    28:03
    28:17
    8

    The Actionable Classic: A Playbook for the Aspiring Great

    28:34
    28:54
    29:13
    29:23
    29:44
    30:06
    30:24
    30:41
    30:57
    31:18
    31:40
    2:17
    9

    The Final Reflection: Becoming a Voice that Refuses to Shut Up

    32:07
    32:32
    32:56
    33:14
    33:32
    33:52
    34:08
    34:23

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