William Safire

Knowing how things work is the basis for appreciation, and is thus a source of civilized delight.

Never assume the obvious is true.

The wonderful thing about being a New York Times columnist is that it's like a Supreme Court appointment - they're stuck with you for a long time.

Sometimes I know the meaning of a word but am tired of it and feel the need for an unfamiliar, especially precise or poetic term, perhaps one with a nuance that flatters my readership's exquisite sensitivity.

If you re-read your work, you can find on re-reading a great deal of repetition can be avoided by re-reading and editing.

Writers who used to show off their erudition no longer sing in the bare ruined choir of the media.