“Learn to enjoy this tidying process. I don't like to write; I like to have written. But I love to rewrite. I especially like to cut: to press the DELETE key and see an unnecessary word or phrase or sentence vanish into the electricity. I like to replace a humdrum word with one that has more precision or color. I like to strengthen the transition between one sentence and another. I like to rephrase a drab sentence to give it a more pleasing rhythm or a more graceful musical line. With every small refinement I feel that I'm coming nearer to where I would like to arrive, and when I finally get there I know it was the rewriting, not the writing, that wont the game.”
Quote by William Zinsser
Work
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction
Browse quotes and source details for this work. more
Author
William Zinsser
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. more
You May Also Like
“Because I don’t even know if this life is right for me anymore. I don’t know what I want to do.”
Source: The Wild Dogs of Kumamoto
Source: Sutras of the Heart: Spiritual Poetry to Nourish the Soul
Source: The Simple Feeling of Being: Visionary, Spiritual, and Poetic Writings
Source: ABSOLUTE
Source: Awakening in the Now: Accessing the Transformational Power of “Space Consciousness”
Source: Guitar Highway Rose