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William Zinsser

William Zinsser Quotes

Writer

William Zinsser was an American writer renowned for his concise, clear, and humorous writing style. His works spanned a variety of fields including literature, history, and practical writing, with his most famous titles being 'On Writing Well' and 'American Writing'. Zinsser's writing style has had a profound impact on modern writing.

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All Writing Ifs Reader Want Sentences Thinking People Written Knows Trying Write Writer Writing Well Hard On Writing Writes Art On Writing Well Reading Subjects

Famous William Zinsser Quotes

“All writers should strive to deliver something fresh-something editors or readers won't know they want until they see it.”

Knows Want Should Reader Strive Editors Want U

Author:William Zinsser

“Writing organizes and clarifies our thoughts. Writing is how we think our way into a subject and make it our own. Writing enables us to find out what we know-and what we don't know-about whatever we're trying to learn.”

Thinking Knows Way Writing Trying Subjects Organize Our Thoughts

Author:William Zinsser

“Writers must constantly ask: what I am trying to say? Surprisingly often, they don't know.”

Knows Trying Asks

Author:William Zinsser

“One of the saddest sentences I know is "I wish I had asked my mother about that." Or my father. Or my grandmother. Or my grandfather. As every parent knows, our children are not as fascinated by our fascinating lives as we are.”

Knows Children Mother Father Wish Parent Our Children Sentences Fascinating Grandmother Fascinated Grandfather My Grandmother My Grandfather Saddest

Author:William Zinsser

“People and places are the twin pillars on which most nonfiction is built. Every human event happens somewhere, and the reader wants to know what that somewhere was like.”

People Knows Want Humans Happens Events Reader Built Nonfiction Twins Pillars

Author:William Zinsser

“The writer who cares about usage must always know the quick from the dead.”

Knows Care Who Cares Usage

Book:On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction

Source: On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction

“Don't try to guess what sort of thing editors want to publish or what you think the country is in a mood to read. Editors and readers don't know what they want to read until they read it. Besides, they're always looking for something new.”

Thinking Knows Want Writing Trying Country Reader Mood Something New Editors Publish

Book:On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction

Source: On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction

“Finding 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 it when we meet it.”

Knows Writing Matter Helping Enjoy Voice Quality Reader Taste Findings Defined Intangible

Author:William Zinsser

“People read with their ears, whether they know it or not.”

People Knows Ears

Author:William Zinsser

“You can solve most of your writing problems if you stop after every sentence and ask: what does the reader need to know next?”

Ifs Knows Needs Writing Doe Problem Next Asks Reader Solve Sentences

Author:William Zinsser

“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?”

Ifs Thinking Knows Needs Writing Doe Hard Problem Next Asks Reader Solve Sentences Linear

Author:William Zinsser

About the Author

Born: October 7, 1922
Died: May 12, 2015
Known for: Writer
Quotes: 150

Related Topics

Writing Ifs Reader Want Sentences Thinking People Written Knows Trying Write Writer Writing Well Hard On Writing Writes Art On Writing Well Reading Subjects

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: An Informal Guide to Writing NonfictionRelated source material

On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing NonfictionRelated source material

On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing NonfictionRelated source material

Writing about Your Life: A Journey Into the PastRelated source material

The Writer Who StayedRelated source material

ON WRITING WELL : THE CLASSIC GUIDE TO WRITING NONFICTIONRelated source material

Spring TrainingRelated source material

Worlds of Childhood: The Art and Craft of Writing for ChildrenRelated source material

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