Remember, it is no sign of weakness or defeat that your manuscript ends up in need of major surgery. This is a common occurrence in all writing, and among the best writers.
William Strunk, Jr.Read
Make definite assertions. Avoid tame, colorless, hesitating, non-committal language.
Interpretation
The quote encourages clear and confident communication.
William Strunk, Jr. emphasizes the importance of using strong and assertive language in communication. By avoiding vague or hesitant expressions, one can make their statements more impactful and persuasive, ultimately enhancing the clarity of their message and the confidence of the speaker.
In practice
In a public speaking event to encourage effective communication skills.
Remember, it is no sign of weakness or defeat that your manuscript ends up in need of major surgery. This is a common occurrence in all writing, and among the best writers.
The surest way to arouse and hold the attention of the reader is by being specific, definitive, and concrete. The greatest writers - Homer, Dante, Shakespeare - are effective largely because they deal in particulars and report the details that matter. Their words call up pictures.
Instead of announcing what you are about to tell is interesting, make it so.
The approach to style is by way of plainness, simplicity, orderliness, sincerity.
Avoid fancy words....If you admire fancy words, if every sky is beauteous, every blonde curvaceous, every intelligent child prodigious, if you are tickled by discombobulate, you will have bad time Reminder 14.
Rather, very, little, pretty - these are the leeches that infest the pond of prose, sucking the blood of words. The constant use of the adjective little (except to indicate size) is particularly debilitating; we should all try to do a little better, we should all be very watchful of this rule, for it is a rather important one, and we are pretty sure to violate it now and then.
You never really learn much from hearing yourself talk.
Memory is the treasure house of the mind wherein the monuments thereof are kept and preserved.
Speak not injurious words neither in jest nor earnest; scoff at none, although they give occasion.
Intelligence is the wife, imagination is the mistress, memory is the servant.
Do not dwell upon the sins and mistakes of yesterday so exclusively as to have no energy and mind left for living rightly today, and do not think that the sins of yesterday can prevent you from living purely today.
There's nothing to prove, nothing to figure out, nothing to get, nothing to understand. When we finally stop explaining everything to ourselves, we may discover that in silence, complete understanding is already there.
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