Every successful piece of nonfiction should leave the reader with one provocative thought that he or she didn't have before. Not two thoughts, or five - just one. So decide what single point you want to leave in the reader's mind.

Don't try to guess what sort of thing editors want to publish or what you think the country is in a mood to read. Editors and readers don't know what they want to read until they read it. Besides, they're always looking for something new.

I think a sentence is a fine thing to put a preposition at the end of.

My four articles of faith: clarity, simplicity, brevity and humanity.

Today the outlandish becomes routine overnight. The humorist is trying to say that it's still outlandish.

Probably every subject is interesting if an avenue into it can be found that has humanity and that an ordinary person can follow.

Never forget that you are practicing a craft with certain principles.