## Metadata - Author: [[William Zinsser]] - Full Title: On Writing Well - Category: #books ## Highlights - Fighting clutter is like fighting weeds—the writer is always slightly behind. New varieties sprout overnight, and by noon they are part of American speech. Consider what President Nixon’s aide John Dean accomplished in just one day of testimony on television during the Watergate hearings. The next day everyone in America was saying “at this point in time” instead of “now.” ([Location 222](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0090RVGW0&location=222)) - Telling a writer to relax is like telling a man to relax while being examined for a hernia, and as for confidence, see how stiffly he sits, glaring at the screen that awaits his words. See how often he gets up to look for something to eat or drink. A writer will do anything to avoid the act of writing. I can testify from my newspaper days that the number of trips to the water cooler per reporter-hour far exceeds the body’s need for fluids. ([Location 316](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0090RVGW0&location=316)) - Tags: [[writing]]