Authors of the influential writing guide, The Elements of Style, whose work Pinker frequently references, appraising certain advice while critiquing their grammatical interpretations to position his guidance as an update to traditional rules.

A journalist and historian whose work Pinker highlights to show how skilled prose can capture the human elements of historical narratives, especially through her book The Warmth of Other Suns.

A novelist and philosopher whom Pinker uses as an example of skillful writing, praising her imagery and ability to maintain clarity in long sentences through strategic use of punctuation and language.

A military historian whose work, A History of Warfare, serves as a primary example of ineffective writing according to Pinker, as he critiques the coherence and thematic consistency of Keegan's prose.

A literary theorist briefly mentioned in Pinker's discussion on challenging prose, serving as an example of complex academic writing that has drawn criticism for style, although Pinker is not the first to do so.