William ZinsserWriting is thinking on paper. Anyone who thinks clearly should be able to write clearly-about any subject at all.372Thought
William ZinsserWriting and learning and thinking are the same process.372Thought
William ZinsserYou can solve most of your writing problems if you stop after every sentence and ask: what does the reader need to know next?351Reading
William ZinsserDon’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 littl… ▶373Time
William ZinsserThe secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components. Every word that serves no function, every long word that could be a short word, every adverb that… ▶373PhilosophyReading
William ZinsserI almost always urge people to write in the first person. ... Writing is an act of ego and you might as well admit it.332Humanity
William ZinsserWriting 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 th… ▶376ReadingThought
William ZinsserWhat I want to do is to make people laugh so that they'll see things seriously.332HumanityHumor
William ZinsserUltimately the product that any writer has to sell is not the subject being written about, but who he or she is. ✨ William Zinsser (2012). On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary … ▶344Death
William ZinsserYou'll never make your mark as a writer unless you develop a respect for words and a curiosity about their shades of meaning that is almost obsessive. The English language is rich… ▶345PhilosophyTime
William ZinsserThere's no sentence that's too short in the eyes of God.335Hope
William ZinsserPeople read with their ears, whether they know it or not.369HumanityReading
William ZinsserThe only way to learn to write is to force yourself to produce a certain number of words on a regular basis. ✨ William Knowlton Zinsser (1980). On Writing Well: An Informal … ▶292Death
William ZinsserYou learn to write by writing.326Thought
William ZinsserNever hesitate to imitate another writer. Imitation is part of the creative process for anyone learning an art or a craft. Bach and Picasso didn't spring full-blown as Bach or Pic… ▶328Truth
William ZinsserBe grateful for every word you can cut.306Sadness
William ZinsserWriting is a craft not an art. ✨ William Zinsser (2012). On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction, p.4, Harper Collins3410Humor
William ZinsserDon't hedge your prose with little timidities. Good writing is lean and confident. . . . Every little qualifier whittles away some fraction of the reader's trust. Readers want a w… ▶318Reading
William ZinsserI try to make what I have written tighter, stronger and more precise, eliminating every element that's not doing useful work. Then I go over it once more, reading it aloud, and am… ▶296Reading
William ZinsserDon't be kind of bold. Be bold.263Humanity
William ZinsserWriting 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 shoul… ▶297Thought
William ZinsserTo defend what you've written is a sign that you are alive.231Life
William ZinsserGood writing is lean and confident. ✨ William Knowlton Zinsser (1980). On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction, HarperCollins Publishers287Life
William ZinsserWriting 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 t… ▶232HumanityTime
William ZinsserFinding a voice that your readers will enjoy is largely a matter of taste. Saying that isn't much help-taste is a quality so intangible that it can't even be defined. But we know … ▶3110Reading
William ZinsserFour basic premises of writing: clarity, brevity, simplicity, and humanity. ✨ Writing to Clients and Referring Professionals about Psychological Assessment. Book by J. B. Al… ▶221HumanityReading
William ZinsserGood writers are visible just behind their words. ✨ William Zinsser (2012). On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction, p.21, Harper … ▶277Thought
William ZinsserThere are all kinds of writers and all kinds of methods, and any method that helps you to say what you want to say is the right method for you. ✨ William Zinsser (2012). On … ▶2910Truth
William ZinsserHard writing makes easy reading. Easy writing makes hard reading.267Reading
William ZinsserA writer will do anything to avoid the act of writing. ✨ William Zinsser (2012). On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction, p.19, Ha… ▶234Thought
