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
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Being specific and detailed captures a reader's attention effectively.
This quote emphasizes the importance of specificity in writing. Great writers like Homer, Dante, and Shakespeare engage their audiences through vivid details and concrete examples, which create mental images and evoke emotions, making their narratives compelling and memorable.
Themes
WritingSpecificityAttentionDetailsLiterature
In practice
Example use cases
A writing workshop could use this quote to emphasize the importance of detail in storytelling.
More from William Strunk, Jr.
All quotes →Instead of announcing what you are about to tell is interesting, make it so.
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The approach to style is by way of plainness, simplicity, orderliness, sincerity.
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Make definite assertions. Avoid tame, colorless, hesitating, non-committal language.
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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.
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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.
William Strunk, Jr.Read
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