Thursday, October 14, 2010

Writers' Quotes

Do not put statements in the negative form.

And don't start sentences with a conjunction.

If you reread your work, you will find on rereading that a
great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing.

Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.

Unqualified superlatives are the worst of all.

De-accession euphemisms.

If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.

Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.

Last, but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.

~William Safire, "Great Rules of Writing"

7 comments:

  1. Haha. Good ones.
    Reminds me of Strunk and White (I think its Strunk...I know its White)

    I'm sure you've heard this G.K. Chesterton one:
    "A good novel tells us the truth about its hero; but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author."

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  2. Ending a sentence with a prepositiion is an impropriety up with which I will not put.

    -Winston Churchill

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  3. These are great as are the ones in the comments. Wish I could think of one to add.

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  4. Beware. Blanket statements are always wrong.

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  5. Autantonym statements are always fun, aren't they.

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