Quote

Give your main clause a little space. Prose is not like boxing the skilled writer deliberately telegraphs his punch, knowing that the reader wants to take the message directly on the chin.

William Safire

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William Safire
Age: 79 †
Born: 1929
Born: December 17
Died: 2009
Died: September 27
Author
Columnist
Journalist
Writer
New York City
New York
William Lewis Safire
Knowing
Boxing
Telegraph
Space
Directly
Clauses
Give
Main
Chin
Littles
Message
Chins
Little
Messages
Skilled
Take
Reader
Punch
Giving
Writer
Deliberately
Like
Wants
Prose
Clause

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I welcome new words, or old words used in new ways, provided the result is more precision, added color or greater expressiveness.
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A book should have an intellectual shape and a heft that comes with dealing with a primary subject.
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The first ladyship is the only federal office in which the holder can neither be fired nor impeached.
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Dangling punch lines to forgotten stories remain in the language like the smile of the Cheshire cat.
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Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy? I don't know and I don't care.
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Decide on some imperfect Somebody and you will win, because the truest truism in politics is: You can't beat Somebody with Nobody.
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I think we have a need to know what we do not need to know.
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A man who lies, thinking it is the truth, is an honest man, and a man who tells the truth, believing it to be a lie, is a liar.
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Carter is the best President the Soviet Union ever had.
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Have a definite opinion.
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