William Zinsser Quotes
-
One of underestimated tasks in nonfiction writing is to impose narrative shape on an unwieldy mass of material.
-
Four basic premises of writing: clarity, brevity, simplicity, and humanity.
-
Hard writing makes easy reading. Easy writing makes hard reading.
-
Writing is linear and sequential; Sentence B must follow Sentence A, and Sentence C must follow Sentence B, and eventually you get to Sentence Z. The hard part of writing isn't the writing; it's the thinking. You can solve most of your writing problems if you stop after every sentence and ask: What does the reader need to know next?
-
Examine every word you put on paper. You'll find a surprising number that don't serve any purpose.
-
People read with their ears, whether they know it or not.
-
Writing is thinking on paper.
-
Don’t say you were a bit confused and sort of tired and a little depressed and somewhat annoyed. Be tired. Be confused. Be depressed. Be annoyed. Don’t hedge your prose with little timidities. Good writing is lean and confident.
-
Writing is not a special language that belongs to a few sensitive souls who have a 'gift for words'. Writing is the logical arrangement of thought. Anyone who thinks clearly should be able to write clearly---about any subject at all.
-
Writing is hard work. A clear sentence is no accident. Very few sentences come out right the first time, or even the third time. Remember this in moments of despair. If you find that writing is hard, it's because it is hard. It's one of the hardest things that people do