| I notice that you use plain, simple language,
short words and brief sentences. That is the way to write English--it is
the modern way and the best way. Stick to it; don't let fluff and flowers
and verbosity creep in. When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don't
mean utterly, but kill most of them--then the rest will be valuable. They
weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are wide
apart. An adjective habit, or a wordy, diffuse, flowery habit, once fastened
upon a person, is as hard to get rid of as any other vice. - Letter to David Watt Bowser, 20 March 1880 |
 AI image created by Barbara Schmidt |
| As to the Adjective: When in doubt, strike
it out. - "Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar" You need not expect to get your book right the first time. Go to work and revamp or rewrite it. God only exhibits his thunder and lightning at intervals, and so they always command attention. These are God's adjectives. You thunder and lightning too much; the reader ceases to get under the bed, by and by. - Letter to Orion Clemens, 23 March 1878 |
 |
The best collection of Mark Twain's quotes
on writers and writing, is Mark Dawidziak's MARK MY WORDS. Available from amazon.com |
Quotations | Newspaper Articles | Special Features | Links | Search