I write to keep from going mad from the contradictions I find among mankind – and to work some of those contradictions out for myself. – Michel de Montaigne

I write, “Jane came into the room and sat down on the blue couch,” read that, wince, cross out “came into the room” and “down” and “blue” (Why does she have to come into the room? Can someone sit UP on a couch? Why do we care if it’s blue?) and the sentence becomes “Jane sat on the couch – ” and suddenly, it’s better. – George Saunders

Through an arbitrary problem, I had arrived at a tenet of good writing: brevity wins. – Michael Winter

The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do. – Thomas Jefferson