It is no fun to write lumpishly, dully, in prose the reader must plod through like wet sand. But it is a pleasure to achieve, if one can, a clear running prose that is simple yet full of surprises. This does not just happen. It requires skill, hard work, a good ear, and continued practice. The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.
Some editors are failed writers , but so are most writers.
Everywhere I go, I'm asked if the universities stifle writers . My opinion is that they don't stifle enough of them. A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit. Bach English 5760 is taught by Dr. Richard Nordquist . All portions of these materials are copyright 2000 Armstrong Atlantic State University.