Semicolons . . . signal, rather than shout, a relationship. . . . A semicolon is a compliment from the writer to the reader. It says: "I don't have to draw you a picture; a hint will do."
Interpretation
The semicolon is a subtle indication of connection between thoughts, suggesting a relationship without overt declaration.
In this quote, George Will highlights the unique role of the semicolon in writing, portraying it as a tool that creates a nuanced connection between ideas. Rather than simply separating thoughts, the semicolon invites readers to engage with the text, indicating that some understanding can be derived without explicit explanations, showcasing the elegance and intimacy of written communication.
In practice
In a writing workshop, a facilitator might use this quote to discuss the importance of subtlety in writing.
The problem with intelligent-design theory, is not that it is false but that it is not falsifiable. Not being susceptible to contradicting evidence, it is not a testable hypothesis. Hence it is not a scientific but a creedal tenet - a matter of faith, unsuited to a public school's science curriculum.
The cultivation - even celebration - of victimhood by intellectuals, tort lawyers, politicians and the media is both cause and effect of today's culture of complaint.
Correct thinkers think that 'baseball trivia' is an oxymoron: nothing about baseball is trivial.
Constitutional arguments that seem as dry as dust can have momentous consequences.
The civil forfeiture law - if something so devoid of due process can be dignified as law - is an incentive for perverse behavior: Predatory government agencies get to pocket the proceeds from property they seize from Americans without even charging them with, let alone convicting them of, crimes. Criminals are treated better than this because they lose the fruits of their criminality only after being convicted.
Actually, there is only one first question of government, and it is How should we live? or What kind of people do we want our citizens to be?
The most important thing in writing is to have written. I can always fix a bad page. I can't fix a blank one.
Write the best story that you can and write it as straight as you can.
You might 'write from the heart,' but you'd better polish with your brain.
A man who publishes his letters becomes a nudist - nothing shields him from the world's gaze except his bare skin. A writer, writing away, can always fix things up to make himself more presentable, but a man who has written a letter is stuck with it for all time.
I don't write for catharsis; I have to write to understand.
I think a lot of the dull parts of first drafts come from a kind of over-managing, intrusive writer who wants to direct traffic. The idea of taking out the parts that the reader could infer is very liberating, and it's weirdly part of radicalizing your work: it allows you to go to new places fast.
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