Agents Quote by William Zinsser
“If you would like to write better than everybody else, you have to want to write better than everybody else. You must take an obsessive pride in the smallest details of your craft. And you must be willing to defend what you've written against the various middlemen - editors, agents and publishers - whose sights may be different from yours, whose standards not so high.”
About This Quote
Source Book: On Writing Well, William Zinsser, 1976
Excellence in writing demands obsessive attention to detail and the courage to defend one's work against industry pressures.
In simple terms: Detail and defense create great writing.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate meticulousness and stand firm.
Themes
craftsmanship
integrity
perseverance
Mood
instructive
encouraging
Type
professional
creative
When to use this quote
- authorial revisions
- publishing negotiations
- creative workshops
Key Concepts
Writing process
self‑advocacy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance perfectionism with productivity?
- What defenses are worth mounting?
A Different Perspective
Industry may stifle originality.
![“I don't see [ Trainspotting ] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've got a good agent, I've got a good manager, I'm getting a lot of work out there and doing a lot of stuff - getting a lot of film projects on the go.” quote by Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/918/irvine-welsh-843_agents_i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatros_7750.jpg)
