Authors Quote by Markham Shaw Pyle
![“Show me you care about our common tongue. Bring to your [writing] passion, deeply informed by knowledge of your subject. Stay me, not with apples and flagons, but with wit and grace, humor and intense caring about your discipline. Don't slack, don't give it a lick and a promise, don't make it…” quote by Markham Shaw Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9ec/markham-shaw-pyle-22408_authors_show-me-you-care-about-our-common-tongue_515202.jpg)
““Show me you care about our common tongue. Bring to your [writing] passion, deeply informed by knowledge of your subject. Stay me, not with apples and flagons, but with wit and grace, humor and intense caring about your discipline. Don't slack, don't give it a lick and a promise, don't make it evident that you posted what was 'good enough for government work,' don't try and fake it. Give it your best, your all, not for pence, but for the love of the craft. Do these things, as these writers and scores I have not named do, bring to your work your self, your heart, your voice, motherly or youthful, lawyerly or priestly, conservative or liberal, it matters not. Do this and I and hundreds of others will return again and again to your work, not merely because we may have a burning need for a new printer or an abiding interest in college newspapers or what have you, but because we wish to spend time with your mind and voice.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Craft of Writing", 2015
True writing demands deep knowledge, wit, and genuine care, not superficial effort or empty promises.
In simple terms: Write with expertise, humor, and heartfelt dedication.
Key Takeaway
Commit fully to your craft.
Themes
integrity
expertise
authenticity
Mood
determined
passionate
Type
inspirational
practical
When to use this quote
- academic papers
- journalistic articles
- creative fiction
- blog posts
Key Concepts
rhetoric
voice development
disciplinary depth
Questions to Reflect On
- What steps ensure your writing reflects true mastery?
- How do you maintain passion while meeting deadlines?
A Different Perspective
Perfectionism may stall progress; balance rigor with productivity.
![“... in 1912, although he, more even than other members of the Senate and the House, thought himself presidential timber (a delusion from which vanishingly few senators and representatives are wholly free when they gaze enraptured into their mirrors of a morning), Senator [William Alden] Smith…” quote by Markham Shaw Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d6b/markham-shaw-pyle-22408_congress_in-1912-although-he-more-even-than-other_191616.jpg)
