There's an old saying that great writing is simple but not…
![“There's an old saying that great writing is simple but not easy, and so it is. The search for that one plain but inobvious [SIC] word that will do the work of five, the agony of untangling a complex idea that has become a mess of phrases in the writer's mind, the willingness to keep doing it over…” quote by William Souder](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/654/william-souder-119221_brainstorming_there-s-an-old-saying-that-great-writing_1087249.jpg)
““There's an old saying that great writing is simple but not easy, and so it is. The search for that one plain but inobvious [SIC] word that will do the work of five, the agony of untangling a complex idea that has become a mess of phrases in the writer's mind, the willingness to keep doing it over and over again until it is right--all of that plus some luck yields prose so clear that it seems a child could have written it.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Great writing is simple yet hard to achieve; finding the perfect, unambiguous word requires perseverance and luck.
In simple terms: Simple writing is hard; finding the right word takes effort and luck.
Key Takeaway
Practice clarity and embrace revision.
Themes
writing
clarity
perseverance
creativity
luck
Mood
inspired
determined
Type
brainstorming:1
creative thinking:1
insight:1
old saying:0
prose:1
understanding-oneself-and-others:0
writer:1
writing:1
writing process:1
writing simple:1
writer mind:0
phrases writer:0
When to use this quote
- education
- authoring
- self‑improvement
Key Concepts
literature
communication
process
skill
Questions to Reflect On
- What word best captures your idea?
- How do you balance simplicity and depth?
A Different Perspective
Perfectionism can stall progress.