Writing tip of the day: composition is a discipline
Composition is a discipline; it forces us to think. If you want to “get in touch with your feelings,” fine—talk to yourself; we all do. But, if you want to communicate with another thinking human being, get in touch with your thoughts. Put them in order; give them a purpose; use them to persuade, to instruct, to discover, to seduce. The secret way to do this is to write it down and then cut out the confusing parts. ~William Safire
Posted on January 3, 2011, in Writing and tagged Writers Resources. Bookmark the permalink. 6 Comments.
scientia et sapientia 
Brilliant! 😉
Great quote.
Equally applicable to preaching, too – especially the excision of confusing parts.
Pat, great point. I’d also like to see more pastors exercise the discipline of excising extraneous illustrations. I’m all for a good illustration – use them all the time myself – but I grow very tired for sermons that are 80% illustration and 20% content.
Pingback: Writing tip of the day: composition is a discipline (via scientia et sapientia) | Jack Of All Trades
Pingback: Disfigured Dating Disclosures « Anne Gallagher