If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out

Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.

— George Orwell

Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.

— George Orwell

Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print. Never use a long word where…

— George Orwell

Don't worry about getting final cut, worry about making the best possible cut.

— Wim Wenders

Cut word lines — Cut music lines — Smash the control images — Smash the control machine — Burn the books — Kill the priests — Kill! Kill! Kill!

— William S. Burroughs

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

— Christopher Buckley

I think you're sort of always waiting, wondering when the word "cut" is going to be said when you're doing a scene. Like you're…

— Ashton Kutcher

Be grateful for every word you can cut.

— William Zinsser

By using stale metaphors, similes and idioms, you save much mental effort, at the cost of leaving your meaning vague, not only for your…

— George Orwell

“Dou comigo a pensar se figuras de estilo não serão, afinal, as silhuetas dos corpos humanos que tão ardentemente desejamos ou abominamos. I find…

— Victor Eustáquio

“No. See, when you throw up you're vomiting, but when you throw down you're starting a fight, as in throwing down the gauntlet." "Ohhhh,"…

— Kevin Hearne

Irony is Fate's most common figure of speech.

— Trevanian

“It will not, however, affect one tiny bit the question of whether the text has a literal meaning because—mark this—every biblical text has a…

— Mark Shea

A preacher must have some intelligence to charm the people by his florid style, by his exhilarating system of morality, by the repetition of…

— Jean de la Bruyere

Anderson sent me to give you this he said. I believe the subtext was kiss and makeup. This time I was sure I made…

— Jenna Black