Writer Quotes by Roy Peter Clark

Having the urge to write is one thing; acting on it is another.

— Roy Peter Clark

“If the writer wants to create suspense, or build tension, or make the reader wait and wonder, or join a journey of discovery, or…

— Roy Peter Clark

“Punctuation comes from the Latin root punctus, or “point.” Those funny dots, lines, and squiggles help writers point the way. To help readers, we…

— Roy Peter Clark

Everyone should read, we say, but we act as if only those with special talent should write.

— Roy Peter Clark

“The ability to read, society tells us, contributes to success in education, employment, and citizenship. Reading is a democratic craft. Writing, in contrast, is…

— Roy Peter Clark

“To understand the difference between a good adverb and a bad adverb, consider these two sentences: “She smiled happily” and “She smiled sadly.” Which…

— Roy Peter Clark

“Good readers may struggle with a difficult text, but struggle is not the goal of reading. The goal is fluency. Meaning flows to the…

— Roy Peter Clark

“As you listen to political speech, notice those occasions when politicians and other leaders use the passive voice to avoid responsibility for problems and…

— Roy Peter Clark

I may have grown up in the Age of Aquarius, but I'm growing old in the Age of the Acronym.

— Roy Peter Clark

“If you want to write, here's a secret: the writer's struggle is overrated, a con game, a cognitive distortion, a self-fulfilling prophecy, the best…

— Roy Peter Clark

“But doesn't add something to what has come before; but takes something away. At its most daring, it can feel like a Bat Turn,…

— Roy Peter Clark

Writing is not magic. It’s a craft, a process, a set of steps. As with any process, things sometimes break down. Even in a…

— Roy Peter Clark

“Poorly written reports, memos, announcements, and messages cost us time and money. They are blood clots in the body politic. The flow of information…

— Roy Peter Clark

Riffing on language will create wonderful effects you never intended. Which leads me to this writing advice: 'Always take credit for good stuff you…

— Roy Peter Clark

“I promise you a case of writing paralysis if you think about too many of these tools when you sit down to write. Let…

— Roy Peter Clark