Home / Authors / William Zinsser

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.

Filter quotes by topic

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

“Write about small, self-contained incidents that are still vivid in your memory. If you remember them, it's because they contain a larger truth that your readers will recognize in their own lives. Think small and you'll wind up finding the big themes in your family saga.”

Ifs Thinking Writing Stills Self Bigs Remember Memories Wind Reader Findings Our Family Theme Vivid Incidents Our Memories Saga Self Contained

Book:Writing about Your Life: A Journey Into the Past

Source: Writing about Your Life: A Journey Into the Past

“I think a sentence is a fine thing to put a preposition at the end of.”

Thinking Ends Fine Sentences Fine Things Prepositions

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

“Get people talking. Learn to ask questions that will elicit answers about what is most interesting or vivid in their lives. Nothing so animates writing as someone telling what he thinks or what he does - in his own words. His own words will always be better than your words, even if you are the most elegant stylist in the land.”

People Ifs Thinking Writing Doe Asks Answers Interesting Talking Land Elegant Vivid Most Interesting Stylist People Talking

Author:William Zinsser

“Writing is such lonely work that I try to keep myself cheered up. If something strikes me as funny in the act of writing, I throw it in just to amuse myself. If I think it's funny I assume a few other people will find it funny, and that seems to me to be a good day's work.”

People Ifs Thinking Writing Trying Seems Lonely Assuming Strikes Good Day

Author:William Zinsser

“Writing is thinking on paper.”

Thinking Writing Paper

Author:William Zinsser

“Writing and learning and thinking are the same process.”

Thinking Writing Process Learning

Author:William Zinsser

“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

“Writing is thinking on paper. Anyone who thinks clearly should be able to write clearly-about any subject at all.”

Thinking Should Writing Able Subjects Paper

Author:William Zinsser

“Thought is action in rehearsal.”

Thinking Action Psychology Meditation Positive Law Of Attraction Rehearsal

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

“Clear thinking becomes clear writing; one can't exist without the other.”

Thinking Writing Clear Clear Thinking

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

“Writers who think THEY are being criticized when only that writing is being criticized are beyond a teacher's reach. Writing can only be learned when a writer coldly separates himself from what he has written and looks at it with the objectivity of a plumber examining a newly piped bathroom to see if he got all the joints tight.”

Ifs Thinking Writing Looks Teacher Written Bathroom Joints Objectivity Examining Plumber

Author:William Zinsser

“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.”

Thinking Should Writing Soul Able Language Special Subjects Sensitive Logical Arrangements

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

Similar Authors

Elmore LeonardBrowse related quotes
Natalie GoldbergBrowse related quotes
Philip GerardBrowse related quotes
Lynne TillmanBrowse related quotes
Joyce Carol OatesBrowse related quotes
Alice MattisonBrowse related quotes
George SaundersBrowse related quotes
Stephen KingBrowse related quotes
Paul AusterBrowse related quotes
Ernest HemingwayBrowse related quotes