Many of us were taught that no sentence should begin with "but." If that's what you learned, unlearn it - there's no stronger word at the start. It announces a total contrast with what has gone before, and the reader is thereby primed for the change.

You'll never make your mark as a writer unless you develop a respect for words and a curiosity about their shades of meaning that is almost obsessive. The English language is rich in strong and supple words. Take the time to root around and find the ones you want

Dare to tell the smallest of stories if you want to generate large emotions.

Clutter is the disease of American writing.

Good writing has an aliveness that keeps the reader reading from one paragraph to the next, and it's not a question of gimmicks to "personalize" the author.

There are all kinds of writers and all kinds of methods, and any method that helps you to say what you want to say is the right method for you.

If writing seems hard, it's because it is hard. It's one of the hardest things people do.