Samuel Johnson Quotes

Every man speaks and writes with intent to be understood; and it can seldom happen but he that understands himself, might convey his notions to another, if, content to be understood, he did not seek to be admired; but when once he begins to contrive how his sentiments may be received, not with most ease to his reader, but with most advantage to himself, he then transfers his consideration from words to sounds, from sentences to periods, and, as he grows more elegant, becomes less intelligible.

I'm not that guy who thinks I have all the answers. Writing is a means of communicating, and if enough people say, 'I don't get it,' it's worth looking at.

We should not write so that it is possible for [the reader] to understand us, but so that it is impossible for him to misunderstand us.

They write them long because they can't write them short.

A book should be luminous not voluminous.

It is far more difficult to be simple than to be complicated.

The simpler you say it, the more eloquent it is.

My writing model is my mother, who is a writer as well. She always valued clarity and simplicity above all else. If someone doesn't understand what you're writing, then everything else you do is superfluous. Irrelevant. If any thoughtful, curious reader finds what I do impenetrable, I've failed.

I write from my knowledge not my lack, from my strength not my weakness. I am not interested if anyone knows whether or not I am familiar with big words, I am interested in trying to render big ideas in a simple way. I am interested in being understood not admired.

Say all you have to say in the fewest possible words, or your reader will be sure to skip them; and in the plainest possible words or he will certainly misunderstand them.

Being incomprehensible offers unparalleled protection against having nothing to say...but writing with simplicity requires courage, for there is a danger that one will be overlooked, dismissed as simpleminded by those with a tenacious belief that the impassable prose is a hallmark of intelligence.

Hard writing makes easy reading.

Writing is sometimes a balancing act between keeping things easily readable and being accurate.

I'm tired of wasting letters when punctuation will do, period.

When I speak it is in order to be heard.

Writing is incredibly important to me as a way of handling the world, understanding how it works.

I'm a huge believer in clarity.

I am a firm believer that if you can explain it to a kid, you're on the right track.

To be a writer is to connect and to play and to attempt to see clearly and understand. It astounds me regularly that feeling things deeply and writing them down is basically my job description.

I'm actually a great fan of lucidity.

I say what I need to, not a whole lot more.

Writing has always been the primary way I make sense of the world.

I am not very good at expressing myself in a simple way so it can create mis-understandings and I hate that.

I cannot be understood in three minutes.

Sometimes writing it is a good way to understand something.