Brainstorming Quote by William Souder
![“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/quotes/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
Source Book: The Art of Writing, 2015
Great writing seeks simplicity, requiring relentless revision to distill complex ideas into clear, powerful prose.
In simple terms: Simplicity in writing needs hard work.
Key Takeaway
Revise repeatedly to achieve clear expression.
Themes
writing
clarity
discipline
Mood
thoughtful
determined
Type
analytical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- drafting essays
- editing articles
- creative writing
Key Concepts
revision
simplicity
expression
Questions to Reflect On
- What word captures your core idea best?
- How many revisions does a piece need?
A Different Perspective
Simplicity may oversimplify nuance; finding balance is hard.
