Adding a new quote . . .

Posted on October 5, 2013 by | 9 Comments

https://i0.wp.com/steamboattimes.com/images/mark_twain_writing/mark_twain_desk565x390.jpgMark Twain (bless his Connecticut Yankee heart) offered some very fine advice that took me a lifetime to hear.

Substitute damn every time you’re inclined to write very; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.

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9 responses to “Adding a new quote . . .”

  1. Jim Wheeler | October 5, 2013 at 2:42 pm | Reply

    Wow, ain’t that the truth. A great quote from Twain, and one I had never heard before. Nice!

    We have a wonderful language just chock full of superlatives ready for use, but the tendency to modify them is ubiquitous. As in, for example, “isn’t that a little bit amazing?” Drives me a little nuts. Ouch. 😀

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  2. Woodstock | October 5, 2013 at 2:42 pm | Reply

    Amen. Ditto “really”.

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  3. aFrankAngle | October 5, 2013 at 9:26 pm | Reply

    Makes me wonder how many great quotes are from Twain!

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  4. mac | October 6, 2013 at 9:11 am | Reply

    Damn nice quote!

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  5. Ed | October 6, 2013 at 10:41 am | Reply

    And the same applies to “just” and “actually”. ARGH!

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