Cynthia Ozick Scholarship is polite argument. The beginning of research is curiosity, its essence is discernment, and its goal truth and justice. Isaac H. Satanov Back to list of topics . Jacques Barzun Good writing is essentially rewriting. The best reason for putting anything down on paper is that one may then change it.
Some poets actually say they don t revise, don t believe in revising.
They say their originality suffers. I don t see that at all. The words that come first are anybody s, a froth of phrases, like the first words from a medium s mouth. You have to make them your own. James Merrill I have never thought of myself as a good writer. . . .