“Clutter is the disease of American writing. We are a society strangling in unnecessary words, circular constructions, pompous frills and meaningless jargon.”

“I almost always urge people to write in the first person. Writing is an act of ego and you might as well admit it.”

“Writing is thinking on paper”

“But what if we fail' they ask, whispering the dreaded word across the Generation Gap to their parents. 'Don't' they whisper back. What they should say is 'Don't be afraid to fail. Failure isn't fatal”

“Writing is an act of ego, and you might as well admit it.”

“The constant desire to win is a very American kind of trouble. Less glamorous gains made along the way--learning, wisdom, growth, and confidence, dealing with failure--aren't given the same respect because they can't be given a grade.”

“Examine every word you put on paper. You'll find a surprising number that don't serve any purpose.”