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I came across this piece of advice, given by a certain Marcus Fabius Quintilianus, Roman Poet, circa 65 A.D.


1. Write quickly, and you will never write well; write well, and you will soon write quickly.

2. Clearness is the first essential, then brevity, beauty, and vigor.

3. Correct repeatedly and stoically.

4. Erasure is as important as writing.

5. Prune what is turgid, elevate what is commonplace, arrange what is disorderly, introduce rhythm where the language is harsh, modify where it is too absolute.

6. The best method for correction is to put aside for a time what we have written, so that when we come to it again it may have an aspect of novelty, as of being another person's work; in this way we may preserve ourselves from regarding our writings with the affection that we lavish upon the newborn child.


So, next time you finish a piece of writing, instead of rushing it to the publisher, think about Marcus Fabius Quintilianus!

Edited by: Manon at: 1/9/03 3:54:58 pm

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Such good advice!

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Ho often do we hear that same advice from modern writers. Is there nothing new?

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There is nothing new under the sun.

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Absolutely nothing, considering this was written in about 35 A.C. However, as old as this advice may be, it's not always heeded. There's a lesson in that, my dear Soldier. ">

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That's actually shocking to me that such advice was given 2000 years ago. Methinks writing took a step backwards between then and the 1800's or so, but that's only an impression. I wouldn't have said that poets were advanced in 35 AD.

Learn something new every day, I suppose....

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Good advice though often ignored. Some writers seem to think a day or two is long enough. I think perhaps a month or two to give me time to see it afresh.
It's nice to know however new we think an idea is, it's actually ancient. oapbox">