Quotes About Conciseness

Words know that there is always the right word and no other word will do.

Tacitus, "qui abrégeoit tout parce qu'il voyoit tout." ("He abridged everything because he saw everything." Perfect.)

To put it briefly, the secret is to put it briefly. But you always think that's what you're doing, until experience teaches you that you aren't being brief enough.

He writes a good letter, to the point, neither abrupt nor circumlocutory, nor larded with flattery, nor cursory in expressions of regard.

The chief virtue that language can have is clearness, and nothing detracts from it so much as the use of unfamiliar words.

The simplest explanation is most often the correct one.

In revision, as a rough rule, if the beginning can be cut, cut it. And if any passage sticks out in some way, leaves the main trajectory, could possibly come out — take it out and see what the story looks like that way. Often a cut that seemed sure to leave a terrible hole joins up without a seam. It's as if the story, the work itself, has a shape it's trying to achieve, and will take that shape if you'll only clear away the verbiage.

Generally speaking, the word minimalism as a style describes the idea of not overcomplicating compositions with too many unnecessary details and elements.

There are single thoughts that contain the essence of a whole volume, single sentences that have the beauties of a large work.

Profound subject matter can be encompassed in small space - for proof, look at any sonnet by Shakespeare!

Nearly all interested parties think I write too shortly on the subjects that interest them most.

get to the point quickly.

Don't use a big word where a diminutive one will suffice.

Without extraneous words or phrases or clauses, there will be room for implication.

The best way to be boring is to include everything.

The best advice on writing I've ever received was from William Zinsser: 'Be grateful for every word you can cut.'

Milton Hope led the singing of Happy Birthday ... He would say, 'Keep it sweet and short and don't try to be funny.'

If you must use more than ten slides to explain your business, you probably don't have a business.

If you can't write your idea on the back of my calling card, you don't have a clear idea.

The oft-repeated quip, "I'm sorry to write you a long letter, as I did not have time to write a short one," could be applied to meetings: "I'm sorry to imprison you in this long meeting, as I did not have time to prepare a short one.

Art is the elimination of the unnecessary." —Pablo Picasso

A wise person is one who knows how to make complicated matters simple.

I like clean answers.

Whatever advice you give, be brief.